THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...
By Stiltzkin

Author's Note: This is my first sojourn into the Digital World. I have avoided it like the plague in my previous chapters because; well to be quite honest when I started writing this series I haven't seen any but five episodes from both seasons. Now that I'm more acquainted with the show, I felt capable to write about it. This is my first attempt at the Digital World, so I apologize before hand if there are any discrepancies.

Michael and Willis make their first debut into this story, but for the likes of me I couldn't find their last names. In order to make the story flow I gave Willis a D3.

This chapter is dedicated to my devoted Takari fans that were quite upset with my last chapter. It is my hopes that Willis' prophecy will breathe a glimmer of hope for you. To my Daikari fans don't despair the prophecy is ambiguous, open and general enough for interpretation like most good prophecies. It could still end in either way. I really hate my indecisiveness and fence sitting in this matter. There are days when I sit down to write that I'd get so frustrated that I'll want all three of them to end up like Sora, Taichi, and Yamato. Then my rational side clicks in: I have one angry hoard chasing after me I don't need two.

So I'm here to announce that I would make a decision within the next few chapters, to allow my Muse to work, and to allow the natural evolution of the story to flow. So I'm begging for the reader's patience and to allow me to indulge in my procrastination. Finally, I apologize for the length of this chapter, one day I'll learn to write a short chapter. Enjoy.

* * * * * * * * * *

"What's meant to be will always find a way."

- Trisha Yearwood.

* * * * * * * * * *

CHAPTER FIVE: CANON AND PROPHECY.

Jun Motomiya woke up with a fright. She had heard a clamour in the kitchen and thought the worse. 'Oh no, there's a burglar in the house.' She gasped quickly getting up and ran to her brother's room to grab a baseball bat.

Had she be in full control of her faculties she would have noticed that her baby brother was not in his bed and deduced the obvious that it was Daisuke in the kitchen. Unfortunately, she wasn't and did the Motomiya thing, the rash one.

She rushed into the kitchen with a vengeance and readied her weapon. She slowly and carefully tiptoed into the dark kitchen. It was still dark; the sun had yet to rise. She heard another clamour and headed in that direction. "All right dirt-bag freeze!" She yelled.

The shadowy figure turned around and saw his aggressor. Daisuke screamed, not because he was being attacked, but because of how his sister looked like in the morning. He screamed with fright and his sister returned in kind.

"Why in the world are you screaming?"

"You scared the Hell out of me!" Daisuke yelled back.

"I thought you were a thief!" Jun replied. "I have a right to defend myself!"

"Not that!" He protested. "Your face." Daisuke pointed out. "What is that?" He asked. Jun's face was covered in an avocado green mask and curlers were in her hair.

"It's a beauty mask." Jun replied.

"Well I guess what they say is true." He sighed.

"What?"

"Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder." Daisuke sighed trying to pick up the pots and pans on the floor.

Jun exasperated letting the insult passed her by. "What are you doing rummaging in the kitchen in the dark?" She asked putting the baseball bat down.

"I was looking for the pot that mom use to cook spaghetti in." Daisuke sighed.

"In the dark?" Jun headed to the general direction to where the utensil in question was normally kept.

"The light bulb burned out."

"Ever think of replacing it? It'll make your life easier, but mostly it'll make our lives would more quieter." She pointed out.

"Ever think of brushing your teeth in the morning?" He bantered back.

It was too early in the morning for Jun to think of a clever comeback. "Here's your pot, what do you need it for?" She sighed.

"None of your business." He said storming out the kitchen grabbing the box of instant noodles on his way out.

"Why do I even bother?" Jun sighed, heading back into the kitchen.

* * * * * * * * * *

Morning at Izumi household was usually quiet; today was no exception, albeit exceptional. Koushiro's parents were away for the weekend so it was the perfect place to meet before going into the Digital World.

Although there were more people in his house then usual the quietness remained, the early morning had a tendency to do that. The sun was rising behind Koushiro's back highlighting his red hair and casting a long shadow on his computer screen. He got up and let the Venetians blinds down.

He returned to his seat at the head of the table, to his left was Ken Ichijouji and his right was Miyako Inoue carefully observing the new computer program that he developed.

Further down sat Jou Kido and Iori Hida opposite each other facing a chessboard. Jou moved a black knight forward. "Check." He said picking up his cup of coffee taking a sip, it was one of the few vices he picked up in high school and ever since then he couldn't begin his day without one.

Iori studied the board intently thinking of every contingency before moving. The doorbell interrupted his thoughts. "I'll get that." He said getting up; his eyes were still fixated on the board.

"No, Cody." Jou interrupted. "You sit and plan your next move. I'll get." Jou said, his cup still in his hand.

"Thanks Joe." Koushiro mumbled, typing furiously on his laptop.

Jou chuckled at the sight. "No problem." He smiled. "I thought we weaned you from your laptop?" He teased.

"Well you know what they say: You can get the boy out of the computer, but you can't get the computer out of the boy." Koushiro smiled.

"Eventually." Jou smiled opening the door. "Oh, hey Sora, long time no see." Jou greeted.

"Too long." Sora hugged him. "Still hooked on coffee I see. I thought we weaned you off that."

"Yeah, Well I'm practicing for when I become a real doctor." Jou smiled taking another sip. "Com'on in, almost everyone is here." He said escorting Sora into the living room.

"Hey guys." Sora greeted.

"Hey Sora." They mumbled incoherently. They were still fixated on what they were doing. Sora couldn't help to feel a little hurt.

"Don't worry about them." Jou smiled. "The Three Stooges there are intrigued with some computer program that Izzy wrote, while Cody here is trying to figure out how to get his king out of check." Jou explained.

Iori moved his white bishop taking Jou's black knight. "Check and mate." He announced, placing the black knight beside the board.

"Hey where did that bishop come from?" Jou gasped scratching his head.

Iori ignored him and got up from his seat. "My apologies for such a poor salutation." He said sticking out his hand. "It is good to see you again, it's been a real long time." He smiled.

"Likewise." Sora smiled taking his hand.

"Do you want to play a game of chess?" Iori asked.

"No thanks." Sora sighed. "Why don't you play another game with Joe?"

"Are you game?" Iori asked nonchalantly. Jou nodded in response rearranging the pieces accordingly.

Sora watched silently feeling a tad left out while Koushiro, Miyako and Ken were still intrigued with the program and Jou and Iori bonding over chess. "So where's Tai and Matt?" Sora asked sheepishly.

"They're not coming." Koushiro announced; his eyes still fixated on his computer. "They e-mailed saying that they're going to the Digital World with Kari and T.K. respectively. They'll meet us there." He explained.

"We're still waiting for Davis." Ken added.

"He late, as usual." Miyako added, their eyes still on the program.

"Oh." Sora sighed with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had hoped that Yamato and Taichi would have been civil enough to meet together so they could go to the Digital World together. She was lost in thought, remembering when they were all friends, it all seem like a distant memory.

The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. "That must be Davis." Sora announced heading for the door.

"It's about time." Miyako yelled behind her.

"I heard that Yolei." Daisuke voice emanated from the door.

All of a sudden the once quiet room was replaced by yelling by Miyako and Daisuke. Koushiro closed his laptop and got up. "Let Davis in, we'll use the computer in my room for the digiport." He sighed putting the laptop in his backpack.

Daisuke and Sora arrived in their room moments later. "Where's Kari?" He asked looking for his love.

"If you were here on time you would have known that she's going to the Digital World on her own with her brother." Miyako pointed out.

"Well sorry." Daisuke apologized insincerely. "But it couldn't be helped. I was attacked by a green faced monster." He pouted.

"Whatever." Miyako sighed not believing him. "Digiport Open!" She announced putting her D3 towards the computer monitor, and in a bright flash of light they disappeared.

* * * * * * * * * *

Takeru bolted up in bed panting heavily, his heart beating like there was no tomorrow, and his body drenched with sweat. He quickly slammed on his alarm clock and looked around his strange surroundings. 'I'm at Matt's place.' He reassured himself, he had forgotten that he slept over so they could go to the Digital World together.

Takeru brushed the few strands of hair away from his eyes allowing his heart to slow down. He had the dream again; the same dream based on a distortion of a memory that took place five years ago.

The nightmare felt so real, like most nightmares that for a split second he thought it happened that way. He could still remember the look in Hikari's eyes when she let go of him. He could still hear the rushing of wind that whisked past his ears as he fell.

'Why am I doing this to myself?' He thought watching the sunrise from his bed. 'Is my subconscious trying to tell me something? A sign perhaps?' Takeru dismissed that thought quickly; he wasn't one to believe in premonition. He was the type of person that believed that his future has yet to be written.

Takeru took a quick shower letting the nightmare ebb and trickled down the drain, along with the dirt and problems that had accumulated from the last twenty-four hours. For the first time in four mornings he was looking forward for the day to start, because today was the day that he would see Patamon again. It has been a whole year since he last saw him and in a few short moments he would see his digimon partner again.

He got out of the shower and changed into a comfortable outfit for the day. His white hat would be the last thing he put on before waking up Matt. Takeru slowly crossed the prejudice hallway to wake up his brother when he heard a crash in the living room. "Matt?" He gasped quickly jumping to the worse conclusion.

His heart was relived to see that it was his brother scouring around the living room. He was feverishly looking for something. "Matt what are you doing?" Takeru asked with concern.

"I'm looking for my wallet." He exasperated.

Takeru circumspect the room and saw the wallet on the bookshelf by the front door. "Is this it?" He asked showing a tan leather wallet to his brother.

Yamato looked up. "No, that's Davis'." He sighed as he continued his search for his missing wallet. "Mines have my harmonica attached to it with a red elastic band." He sighed.

"Oh." Takeru sighed. "What are you doing with Davis' wallet?"

"My stage manager found it backstage at my concert on Friday night. I assumed he dropped it when he came over to pick up Kari for their first date." Yamato explained looking under the chesterfield. "I told him that I would return it the next time I'll see him." He sighed.

"I see." Takeru sighed.

"So how was your date last night?"

"It was okay, I had fun." Takeru sighed nonchalantly.

"So whom did Kari set you up with?"

"Chastity Shiozaki."

Yamato stopped his search and looked at his brother leaning against the front door. "You're kidding right?"

"I wish I were, but I think Kari is trying to make my love life as happy as hers." Takeru sighed.

"Well that's what you get for lying." Yamato sighed.

"Please don't remind me." Takeru sighed looking on the ground with sadness. In his peripheral vision he saw a chrome glow reflecting the rays of the rising sun. He turned his head and saw a black wallet with a harmonica attached to it with an elastic band. "Is this it?" He asked showing his brother his wallet.

"Yeah." Yamato smiled with relief. "Where did you find it?"

"On the floor by the bookshelf." Takeru sighed nonchalantly. "It must have fallen from the shelf sometime during the night."

"You're kidding me that's the first place I looked." He sighed.

"Why would you need a wallet? We're going to the Digital World."

"I don't." Yamato sighed grabbing both wallets. "Gabumon likes it when I play my harmonica for him. I attached it to my wallet because I feel naked without my wallet." He explained. "So squirt, you ready to go to the Digital World?" He smiled.

"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But aren't you going to clean up the mess you made in the living room?" He asked.

"Nay, you kidding? It's cleaner then it was before." Yamato sighed walking towards his father's office. Takeru looked at the living room and was reluctant to agree with him. "Coming?" Yamato asked.

"Yeah." Takeru sighed. He followed his brother to his father's study and raised his D3 towards the monitor. "Digiport open!" He yelled as the brother disappeared in a shimmer of white light.

* * * * * * * * * *

Hikari Kamiya woke up an hour earlier then usual to do an errand that was long overdue. She heard the trickling of water stopped in the shower knowing that her brother had just finished his shower. 'I better get this done before he comes out and tease me.' She thought hastening her pace.

She quickly wrapped the box in red cellophane and colourful wrapping paper. She had searched all morning for these items, but all she found was birthday or Christmas paper something inappropriate for this present. So she was forced to stop by the local store to buy some. Hikari felt relieved that she did all that while her brother was still sleeping.

Taichi came out of the bathroom seeing his sister was already up. "So that was some night last night." He sighed nonchalantly heading aimlessly towards his room. He wanted more information about his sister's date last night.

"I'm still not telling you what happened in the hallway last night." Hikari sighed taping a corner of the present.

Taichi sighed with frustration. "Kari it's my job as a big brother to protect you and scare the living daylights out all potential suitors." He sighed. "Besides it's fun and I like doing it." He added.

"I know." Hikari smiled. "I think you may like it too much and besides it's my job as your little sister to spoil your fun." She teased.

"Oh, you're incorrigible." Taichi exasperated, heading into his room to change.

"I learn from the best." Hikari smiled to herself.

Hikari managed to complete wrapping the present when her brother came out of his room dressed in his typical blue top and brown shorts. "Ready to go to the Digital World?" Taichi asked.

"Almost." She sighed. "I just need to finish this bow and then we could leave." Hikari explained measuring the appropriate length of the ribbon.

"A present?" Taichi smiled. "Who's it for? Davis?" He teased.

"No." Hikari blushed. "If you must know it's for Matt."

"Matt?" He gasped. "Why are you giving him a present?" A dreaded thought then consumed him. "You're not going out with Matt are you?" He gasped.

"No. Don't be silly." Hikari scoffed at the idea. "I like Matt far too much for giving you any reason to kill him." She smiled looking into her brother's brown eyes, she saw that Taichi didn't see the humour in her joke and sighed. "If you must know he did me a favour a couple of nights ago and this is my way of saying thank you." She explained.

"Why on Earth would you do that for?" He asked.

"Tai, just because you and Matt are no longer friends doesn't mean he and I have to be enemies also." She pointed out.

"Whatever." Taichi sighed storming into his room. "I'll be waiting for you in my room." He sighed.

Hikari sighed looking at her brother. "I hope that there won't be another fight." She mumbled under her breath, heading into her brother's room.

"It's about time." He sighed.

"Tai promise me something before we go." Hikari sighed.

"What?"

"Please don't pick a fight with Matt or Sora."

"All right." Taichi sighed. "I'll try, but I can't promise you anything."

Hikari took a deep sigh. "I guess that's good enough." She said lifting her pink D3 towards the computer monitor. "Digiport open!" She yelled as brother and sister disappeared in a shimmering white light.

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile across the Pacific through eight time zones, in the city called the Big Apple, in a small guestroom, in the Tachikawa Residence sat a young man with wild golden hair and royal blue eyes overlooking the Hudson River and enjoyed how the afternoon sun danced on the water. The water always seems to sooth him, especially when he's been troubled, like the waves could carry all his problems away.

He had once heard that Nostradamus looked into a bowl of water to see visions of the future. It was no different for the bearer of the digimantle of Fate, of Destiny. Ever since his adventures with Daisuke and the others a year ago he's developed a certain empathy, an impression, of the future which only fed his lone wolf mentality. Seeing death or ominous events coming true to everyone around him, especially his friends repelled him from civilization.

His family's farm just outside Colorado was a perfect place for him. It was a solitary place; a place where his nearest neighbour was five miles away by horse. He was glad that there were still places like these left in the United States in the twenty-first century.

One day over the golden sea of wheat the wind danced over the field, rippling the land, bending the grains like waves in a lake. It called to him urging him to go back to New York.

His unannounced arrival in New York was a surprise to the digidestined living in New York, especially to Mimi. She was about to invite him to come over so that she and Michael could go to the Digital World for their reunion; he being the only digidestined in America that could open the digiport was her only recourse. It has been a whole year since he's been back to New York - a year since his twin digimons was sent back into the Digital World - a year since he received his gift.

Ever since his arrival to New York two nights ago he's been getting disturbing dreams of the destruction of the Digital World, the dream was so intense that it started to invade his waking mind. 'Why?' He prayed to any god that would listen to him. He had hoped that the Hudson River would carry away his dream. Unfortunately, it couldn't do that.

"Come in Michael." He replied knowing who was behind the door, not because he could see him coming, no his gift comes and goes, but he knew Michael and Mimi. Michael was notoriously prompt while Mimi was constantly fashionable late.

"Hello Willis." He greeted with a smile.

"Michael." He said nonchalantly, his eyes still fixated on the river.

The older boy still had his wavy, cascading blond hair and blue eyes. He felt uncomfortable with the silence and the cold greeting he received. "I'm glad we could have some time alone to talk before Mimi gets here." Michael sighed, sitting on the chair by the computer.

"What do you want to talk about?" Willis asked casually, his eyes still fixated on the river. His mind was obviously somewhere else.

Michael thought how he should proceed, he knew that this subject was a sensitive one especially to Willis and plus they have been getting into fights lately over this very subject. "I like to talk to you about re-joining the digidestined here in New York." He sighed.

Willis quickly turned and look at him with his icy blue eyes. "You don't know what you are asking for." He said coldly returning his gaze to the river. "Trust me, it's better if I stay as far away from all of you as possible." He said ominously.

The tone of his voice and the glare of his eyes sent shivers down Michael's spine. 'What happened to the carefree boy he once knew a year ago?' He thought. Once upon a time, not too long ago, Willis' eyes once supported serendipity, now it's grown dull and cold. "Willis, being a digidestined means you're apart of a team..."

Willis turned to Michael again peering into his eyes. "Michael, with all due respect, please save me the rhetoric of being apart of the team is better then being alone. I heard it all before." He sighed bitterly returning his gaze to the river. "I beg you, if we must talk, let's talk about something else." He sighed.

"All right." Michael sighed. "Why are you here?"

"I don't understand." Willis turned looking at the older digidestined.

"Showing up here, out of the blue without an invitation." Michael explained. "In the last year you've cast off all civilization and now you return. My question is: why?" He asked to satisfy his curiosity.

Willis slowly returned his gaze to the Hudson River. "I was called." He replied enigmatically, the dream of the destruction of the Digital World haunted him again.

"Pardon?" Michael's voice entered his psyche.

Willis came out of his gaze looking at Michael; he didn't hear his question, but knew that he was confused. "I have a message to give to a friend." He sighed.

"A message?" His voice confused as ever. "What sort of message?"

"Ah, that's a far more interesting question that you will ever believe." He replied enigmatically.

Michael was frustrated at his answer. "Willis has anyone told you that talking to you is like trying to figure out a puzzle, wrapped in an riddle, locked in a enigma, buried under a conundrum with the key and map thrown away?"

Willis chuckled at the rhetorical question. Michael wasn't sure how to react to Willis' emotional outburst especially because this was the first reaction he has gave him since their conversation began. "On many occasions, but not as eloquently as you have just put it." He answered.

Willis turned towards him and for the first time he saw serendipity in his eyes. 'Innocence regained.' He thought feeling relieved that this wouldn't turn into another argument.

After the laughter had faded, Willis resist the temptation to look at the river. "I'm sorry Michael for being rude to you." He apologized. "You've just touch a very sensitive topic in my life and I'm not accustomed being around people." He sighed. "Trust me when I tell you that it is better for me not to rejoin." He pointed out.

"As you wish." Michael sighed. "I'm sorry that I kept on pressing you on the matter." He sighed. "Mimi wouldn't ask you to rejoin because she knew how you felt about it, but as her lieutenant I thought I'll ask on her behalf." He sighed. "I was hoping for more positive results."

"Perhaps in time." Willis sighed. "There are...personal demons I have to fight first before I ever consider coming back." He reassured. "But I can't promise anything."

"I guess that'll have to do." Michael sighed. "We'll be here in case you change your mind, until then we'll consider you a prodigal son." He smiled extending his hand.

"Okay." Willis smiled taking his hand and shook it. "Just don't expect me to call you dad." He teased.

"Willis! Michael! I know you're up there!" Mimi's voice emanated from below them. "You two better not be fight...um...shaking hands?" She observed opening the door. "I'm sorry, I just thought you two would be fighting again." Mimi quickly apologized.

Willis chuckled for the second time that day. "Fight? Me and Mike here? Never!" He sarcastically teased walking towards Mimi and took the shopping bags from her left hand.

"Yeah Mimi, give us some credit." Michael taunted taking the rest of the shopping bags from her. "What do you have in here a ton of bricks?" He asked feeling the weight of the bags.

"Just a few gifts for my friends."

"A few?" Willis groaned under the weight. "It looks like you bought out Madison Avenue or something." He teased.

"Don't forget Fifth Avenue, The West Side, Soho, and The Village." Michael pointed out.

"All right you two." Mimi sighed. "Let's go to the Digital World." She exasperated. "I think I like you two better when you were fighting." She sighed.

Willis chuckled for the third time that day and remembered how much he missed doing that. He approached the monitor and held his D3 before it. "Digiport Open!" He ordered and in a shimmering white light they disappeared.

* * * * * * * * * *

Digitamamon rejoiced with glee when he heard the chimes of the front door opened. "Oh boy, guests!" The egg shaped digimon jumped up with glee. He rushed from the kitchen as quickly as his lizard green legs could take him. His yellow eyes dilated with excitement seeing fifteen digimons waiting to be seated. "How may I help you?" He asked with excitement.

"We have reservations for lunch? Party of twenty-nine. The name is Agumon." The miniature orange dinosaur cheerfully replied.

"Sorry we don't serve lunch until eleven." Digitamamon reported. "Perhaps I could interest you in breakfast? We have good eggs, bacon, toast..."

"No we're not hungry." Agumon interrupted. "Could we wait inside for our friends?" He asked.

"Sorry no loitering allowed."

"Com'on let us through." He whined politely.

"Sorry, rules are rules." Digitamamon replied walking away.

"Fine we'll just go somewhere else for lunch." The dinosaur sighed. "Too bad you'll lose all that money from our service." He bluffed.

The orange dinosaur watched as the giant egg digimon jumped at the remark. He quickly ran back to apologize. "All right, com'on in. Just make sure you give me a big tip." Digitamamon said letting them through.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Agumon sighed.

Eleven digimons walked in while the other four flew to their seats. They took up four booths of the tiny diner and waited impatiently for their human counterparts.

The once quiet diner quickly died while ambient voices of the fifteen digimons resonated throughout the tiny diner. Question of who would come first or what they would do filled the air with agitation and anticipation. It has been a whole year since they came back into the Digital World and they missed their human friends greatly.

The diner bell resonated through the air as fifteen pairs of eyes watched the door intently and the quietness returned. The air was so thick with anticipation that it was suffocating.

The first human treaded across the threshold of the diner. "Davis! Davis! Davis!" The blue miniature monster jumped up and down excitedly dashing towards him. He jumped into his waiting arms.

"Veemon!" Daisuke greeted holding him up and twirled him around.

"Yolei!" A miniature hawk with a belt bandanna with a solitary feather flew towards her yelling in an uncanny British accent.

"Hawkmon!" Miyako ran towards Hawkmon. "I miss you so much." She grabbed him and gave a tight embrace.

"Yolei you could stop choking me now." Hawkmon replied.

"Cody!" The Southern speaking armoured mammal rushed awkwardly toward Iori with his hind-legs.

"Armadillomon!" Iori yelled uncharacteristically with joy.

"Ken!" The ten-legged green worm wiggled his way towards him.

"Wormmon!" He rushed over picking up his fellow digimon.

"Izzy! You're a sight for digieyes!" The insect digimon buzzed haphazardly towards him.

"It's good to see you too Tentomon." Koushiro smiled.

"Joe!" The aquatic loving digimon shouted with joy jumping towards his blue haired friend. "I miss you so much." He giggled.

"I miss you too, Gomamon." Jou hoarsely answered trying to pry Gomamon off his neck. "You can let go before I pass out." He answered.

"That's okay." Gomamon smiled. "You're going to be a doctor."

"That won't help if I'm unconscious." He pointed out.

"Oh yeah." The sea creature digimon answered letting go.

"Sora! I missed you so much! I'm glad you can come!" The pink parrot digimon gracefully flew towards her human companion.

She chuckled to herself. "I miss you too Biyomon."

The seven digimons and humans were so entranced in their reunification that they didn't see how upset the other digimons were feeling. They were dragged to their seats by their digital partners and caught up with their gossip with each other. The other eight digimons drowned further in their depression.

Sora Takenouchi was the first to notice their melancholy. "What's wrong Palmon?" She asked the flower digimon, she could have sworn to see her pink flower wilt.

"Where's Mimi?" She whined on the verge of tears.

"Cheer up Palmon, I'm sure she's going to come. She's probably fashionable late. I think she wants to look good for you." She pointed out.

"I guess you're right." Palmon answered. "I just miss her very much."

"We all do." Sora smiled reassuringly.

At that, the bell fastened on the doorframe echoed throughout the room. The room went silent again as twenty-two pairs of eyes locked on the door. They all watched patiently to see two blond men crossed the threshold.

"T.K.!" The flying orange mammal flew towards him. His big blue eyes excited to see his best friend.

"Hey Patamon!" Takeru smiled holding Patamon. "How are you? I want to hear everything that you've been up to." He said allowing Patamon to sit on his white hat.

"Matt!" The horned dragon like digimon with a fur coat clumsy wobbled towards the other blond man.

"Hey Gabumon!" Yamato replied trying to act cool. "What's up?" The digimon guided Yamato towards his seat. They passed Daisuke on their way when Yamato remembered that he had something for him. "Hey Gabumon why don't you go on ahead I'll catch up to you." He sighed.

"Sure Matt."

"Hey Davis I have something for you." Yamato said reaching for his back pocket.

"Oh what?" He asked.

"My stage manager found your wallet a couple of nights ago at the warehouse." He gave the tan wallet to him. Daisuke grabbed the wallet and opened it checking if anything was missing. "The money's all there."

"Thank God." He sighed with relief.

"What are you doing with all that money in your wallet any ways?" Yamato asked.

"Well Le Rendez-Vous is rather expensive." Daisuke blushed.

"Le Rendez-Vous!" Sora gasped. Yamato and Daisuke looked at her surprised by her outburst. "I remember when you use to take me there." Sora sheepishly replied looking into his blue eyes.

"Yeah." Yamato sighed. A strong wall of silence suddenly appeared between the two of them. "It's good to see you again." He said emotionlessly. All the humans in the room watched them intently ignoring their digimons to see what would happen. "It's been a long time."

"Too long." Sora answered.

"What's going on?" Patamon whispered to Takeru.

"Later." He whispered back.

The wall of silence metamorphoses into a cloud of silence suffocating them and those around them. "I've better get going." Yamato sighed, passing their table and sat in the booth behind her.

"What was that about?" Gabumon asked.

Yamato looked at his digimon and consider whether to tell him the whole ordeal with Sora and Taichi. He quickly debated the issue in his mind and was about to speak when the sound of bells ringing interrupted his thoughts. 'Save by the bell.' He thought turning around trying to see who was at the door.

Then he walked in, his one time friend and nemesis with his sister. Agumon his digimon ran towards him giving him a hug, while Gatomon, Hikari's digimon leapt towards her with her feline like reflexes.

He turned around and looked at his digimon relieved to notice that Gabumon had forgotten his question. In his peripheral vision he saw brother and sister sitting beside them on the adjacent table. Taichi quickly forced his way into the inner booth so he could place Hikari between Yamato and himself.

Daisuke made his way to their booth and sat across from Hikari with a smile and a twinkle in his brown eyes. "Hey Kari." He smiled. "Ready for our date this afternoon? I brought lots of instant noodles." He smirked.

"Dreading the moment." Hikari teased.

"You two have another date?" Taichi asked.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tai, do you tell me when you're going out on a date?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah, Tai leave them alone." Yamato added.

Taichi was about to counterattack when he saw the look on his sister's eyes and remembered his promise. "Oh Matt, I got something for you." She said reaching into her book bag and gave him a colourfully wrapped gift.

"What is this for?" Yamato replied.

"For singing Sora's song for us on our first date." Hikari explained.

"You sang my song?" Sora gasped turning around in the booth. "I thought you don't sing that anymore." She pointed out.

"That's the favour?" Taichi asked his sister. "Why didn't you tell me?" He felt bad that his sister didn't tell him.

"It's no biggie Kari asked for a favour and I said yes." Yamato shrugged it off like it meant nothing to him.

"Firstly, you didn't ask." Hikari replied to her brother. "Secondly, it's really none of your business." She pointed out.

"Oh so it means nothing to you." Sora protested.

"I can't believe you betrayed me." Taichi replied simultaneously.

"I didn't mean it like that." Yamato defended.

"I didn't betray you, Matt's my friend."

"Then what exactly do you mean?" Sora asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

"And I'm your brother." Taichi pointed out to his sister.

"Umm...ugh..." Yamato thought trying to come up with a good excuse.

"This is silly." Hikari sighed. "I can't believe you expect me to choose between my brother and my friend. I refuse to take sides in your petty argument." Hikari said losing her temper.

"Forget it Yamato Ishida. Sing the song, don't sing the song, I don't care anymore." Sora exasperated getting up.

"Fine. Be like that." Taichi exasperated getting up.

Taichi and Sora got up in unison and stormed out towards the front door. They were about to exit simultaneously when they stared at each other both with anger in their eyes. In silence Taichi stormed off towards the back door via the kitchen while Sora exited by the front.

The room was so silent that if a pin dropped it would pierce all those in the room. Eyes were fixated on Yamato who was trying to get his anger in control. He looked around agitated. "What?" He asked with anger. "Haven't you seen a fight before?" He bellowed. Their consistence stares got on his nerves. "Whatever. I'm outta here." He said dashing towards the door.

"Hey Matt." Mimi greeted with a smile. Yamato responded with a groan and pushed her out of the way. "Hey, what's wrong with him?" Mimi asked rhetorically looking into the crowd.

"Mimi!" Palmon sighed rushing towards Mimi breaking the tension in the room.

"Palmon." Mimi smiled giving the flower digimon a hug; they were embraced so tightly that she got tangled in her ivy vines. "I miss you so much." She started to weep.

"Me too." Palmon cried.

During the tear-jerking reunion with Mimi and her digimon, Michael and his digimon, Betamon were talking in the corner of the diner, while Willis was giggling because his twin digimons, Terriermon and Lopomon were licking his face.

Everyone finally arrived and everyone was happy with a few exceptions. During the festivities Agumon, Gabumon, and Biyomon exited discreetly to find out what was going on with their human companions.

* * * * * * * * * *

Taichi Kamiya gazed upon the lake by Digitamamon's Diner and closed his eyes feeling the cool breeze coming off it. He wished the breeze would blow his problems away, yet it didn't.

He felt like a jerk for arguing with his sister about the stupidest thing. 'Of course she could be Matt's friend.' He exasperated. Taichi wanted to turn back and go in to apologize, but he couldn't go back in there and face Yamato. What made him feel worse was he broke his promise to his sister. 'You really did it this time?' He thought.

He heard someone approaching behind him. He shifted his eyes to one corner and saw an orange digimon coming his way. "Hey Agumon." He greeted the dinosaur.

"Hi Tai." Agumon greeted sitting beside him. The digimon examined his partner and noticed that he seems taller and his hair was less wild in his old age. In the five years since the digimon had known him, this was the first time he didn't know what to say. "Tai what happened?"

"It's nothing Agumon." Taichi sighed. "Sometimes brothers and sisters fight."

"No not that?" Agumon sighed. "Why are you mad a Matt? I thought you two are friends?" He pointed out.

Taichi noted how observant his digimon has grown over the years. "Oh, that." Taichi sighed. "It's a long and complicated story."

"That's okay, take your time." Agumon sighed. "We have the whole day together." He pointed out.

He knew the orange digimon could be stubborn or relentless as he so he caved in. "All right." Taichi sighed; he didn't know where to begin. It was such a long and damming story. "Do you know what love is?" He sighed.

"Sure I do." The orange digimon answered. "You taught me all about it." Agumon replied. "I love you." He said giving his human companion a hug.

Taichi chuckled to himself. "I love you too Agumon." He said holding his friend. "But that's not what I meant." He sighed.

"Then what do you mean?"

"What I mean is...romantic love."

"What's the difference?"

Taichi looked at the digimon and exasperated secretly to himself. It was more difficult then he thought it would be to explain his situation to his digimon. He felt like he was explaining the definition of love to a five-year-old, something he doesn't know exactly himself. "You see Agumon, there are many different types of love." He sighed. "There's the love that friends have each other."

"Like us."

"Yeah, like us. Then there's love that a father and a mother have and that's romantic love." Taichi explained not entirely believe the definition himself. "Do you understand?" He asked.

"Not really." Agumon scratched his head.

"That's okay." Taichi sighed. "I don't understand it entirely either." He paused. "You see Agumon, I have romantic feelings for Sora." He sighed.

"That's good! Congratulations!" The orange dinosaur jumped with glee wanting to dance. Agumon was so caught up with excitement that he didn't notice that Taichi wasn't joining him in his festivities. "What's wrong? Why aren't you happy?" The orange dinosaur asked with some confusion.

"There's more." He sighed. "Matt also loves Sora romantically."

The orange dinosaur sat back down beside his friend. "Is that a problem?" He asked with some confusion.

"Yeah." Taichi sighed. "Sit back this'll be a long story." Taichi said reclining on the soft, green grass. The orange dinosaur digimon did the same.

* * * * * * * * * *

"So you and Tai love Sora." Gabumon sighed listening to Yamato's playing on his harmonica. It was easy for the digimon to find Yamato all he did was follow the sound of his harmonica and in no time he found him sitting on a small hill overlooking the pond. "So you're mad with Sora and Tai because she choose him over you." The tiny dragon digimon replied trying to find a reason why his friend now hates both Taichi and Sora.

"No, she's chosen none of us." Yamato responded quickly and then returned to play the blues on his harmonica.

Gabumon listened to the sad song emanating from the instrument. "So are you saying Sora didn't love you or Tai back and that's why you're angry with them." He tried another theory.

Yamato stopped playing to answer him. "No, she loved both of us." He exasperated returning to his harmonica.

The little blue dragon digimon thought the paradoxical matter through. "Matt, there's something I don't understand." He sighed. "Why can't Sora love two people at the same time?" He asked. "I mean I love both you and T.K." He pointed out.

Yamato listened to Gabumon and continued to play for a few more minutes before responding. "It's different with romantic love." He sighed returning to his music.

"Why?"

"It's just it!" Yamato exasperated. He looked into his at Gabumon's eyes and saw the innocence in them. 'You jerk all he wanted to know was why you're feeling so bad and you go and yell at him.' He sighed feeling guilty for yelling at him. "I'm sorry." He sighed.

"That's okay." He accepted his apology. "I know how hard it is for you to talk about your feelings." The dragon digimon sighed.

"Still I shouldn't have yelled."

"Maybe you could give me an example of why Sora can't love two people at the same time?" Gabumon asked.

Yamato picked up his harmonica trying to honour his digimon's request. He played for a few minutes racking his mind for something - anything. In his peripheral vision he saw Gabumon watching him anticipating an answer. He pulled the harmonica from his mouth and gave the first example that crossed his mind. "Well it's like saying you have two human companions and you have to choose which one you like more." Yamato sighed with exasperation; he wished he could have found a better example.

"You mean if there was another Matt in my life?"

"Yeah." Yamato sighed. "Let's just say that there were two Matts that is your partner, we look alike and act the same and one day we asked you to choice which one of us you liked better." He sighed. "Which one would you choice?" He asked.

He watched the digimon think. It was the same sort of look Sora had when they asked her to choose whom she loved more. "I don't know if I could decided." Gabumon finally answered.

"Nether could Sora." Yamato sighed.

"So Sora choose neither of you." Gabumon facilitated.

"Yeah, she wanted to be friends, but Tai blamed me for forcing Sora to come to that decision. We started to fight and slowly all three of us drifted apart...I just wish I could have served a better example for T.K." Yamato sighed.

"T.K. loves Sora too?" Gabumon asked.

Yamato chuckled to himself at the ignorance of his digimon. "No he likes Kari, but he's too scared to tell her because Davis likes her too and he doesn't want to put Kari in the same position as Sora because..."

"Because what happened to you three might happen to them." Gabumon answered.

"Yeah." Yamato sighed.

"You humans and your love, sometimes I don't understand why you make everything so hard." Gabumon sighed.

"I think we like it that way." Yamato sighed.

"So why does love makes normal people act so funny?" The miniature dragon digimon asked.

Yamato chucked to himself. "We have a saying in my world: There is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." He sighed, seeing his digimon was still confused. He then thought further explanation was needed. "Gabumon love does funny things to people, normal, rational people would do stupid things when they're in love. It's quite the common denominator." He sighed looking at his digimon. "So tell me Gabumon how do digimon fall in love?" He asked out of curiosity. He watched his digimon think intently waiting patiently for him to answer.

* * * * * * * * * *

"So they both liked you?" Biyomon asked. The pink bird digimon was glad that she could fly; she spotted Sora's reddish-brown hair quickly and landed on the branch next to her.

"Yeah." Sora sighed. "At first I was flattered by all the attention." She confessed. "Tai would ask me out on Friday, then Matt for Saturday, and Tai again for Sunday. It was all too crazy." She sighed. "I was booked up with dates for months." Sora sighed. "They'll do stupid and crazy things to get my attention. It was all too good to last."

"So it was then that they forced you to choose between them." Biomon sighed.

"Yeah. It was inevitable. I knew I had to make a choice, but I wasn't ready." She chuckled to herself. "I thought they'll be okay about us dating casually without making any commitments, but..."

"They wanted you to choose."

"Yeah." Sora sighed. "It was more like an ultimatum, but nevertheless it was still hard for me." She sighed. "I loved them both very much."

"So how did you decided?"

"I asked myself who I loved more."

"And who do you love more?"

"That's a very interesting question." Sora sighed. "I love both men for entirely different reasons and I couldn't choose between them. I didn't want to hurt either of them for choosing one over the other. So to answer their ultimatums I told them I rather be their friends then to be in a romantic relationship with either of them." Sora sighed.

"So how did they react to your answer?"

"At first they were okay with it, but that too was too good to be true." Sora sighed. "When the three of us were together they were okay, but it's when I would spend time alone with either one of them where things goes wrong. If I spend some time with Matt, Tai would get jealous and visa versa."

"They still love you."

"That they did." Sora sighed. "Soon our friendship dissolved as they argued and fought over me. Simple shouting matches soon escalated to fist fights. It was incredible they were fighting in my name, to win my love." She said trying very hard to hold back her tears. "I got so fed up with them and in a moment of anger I told them I didn't want to see either of them again."

"I guess that's why all three of you were uncomfortable to be with each other today." Biyomon sighed.

"Yeah." Sora sighed. "Matt blamed Tai for making me feel that way and the reverse was true with Tai. Then it happened, slowly all three of us drifted away." She sighed crestfallen.

"So why can't the three of you put all this behind you?" Biyomon asked.

"I don't know. I wish I knew." Sora sighed. "I guess we can't forget the things we said to each other."

"Com'on Sora, cheer up." Biyomon reassured. "Let's forget about the past and have some fun today." The pink parrot suggested.

"You're right." Sora smiled. "Let's see what the girls are doing." Sora said climbing down the tree. Biyomon waited patiently for her human counterpart to get to the ground.

In her peripheral vision she saw Agumon and Taichi resting by the lake looking at the sky. 'Agumon is probably there to cheer him up.' She thought walking towards the diner. In the distant she heard harmonica music being played, she darted her eyes to a small hill where she could see the counterfeit of Yamato and his digimon bonding. 'I guess all three of them were worried about us.' She sighed looking at Biyomon walking a few paces before her.

Moments later they reached the diner. The men were playing soccer in the far field while the women reclined on the ground in a circle formation. She heard giggling emanating from the group and had a feeling what they might be talking about. 'Boys.' She exasperated thinking. Regardless to how she felt about the subject she headed towards them.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Gee thanks for the gifts Mimi!" Miyako announced blissfully. "I just love this blouse you got me!" She declared with a huge grimace on her face.

Mimi chuckled at Miyako's reaction. "That's okay Yolei I just saw it and thought it was you." She smiled.

"How can I ever thank you?" Miyako exclaimed.

"You just did." She smiled. "Then again, do you have any chocolate covered rice-balls?" Mimi sheepishly asked.

"I got tons of them just for you." Miyako announced reaching into her backpack and grabbed a whole tray of chocolate covered rice-balls out.

"Oh my." Mimi's eyes started to water. She quickly grabbed a rice-ball and stuffed her face. "Oh I miss these so much." Mimi replied through her full mouth.

"Say it don't spray it." Hikari teased.

The rest of the girls started to laugh and soon Mimi joined in seeing the humour of the situation. "So now that we're caught up with each other's lives what should we talk about now?" Miyako asked casually.

The three girls looked at each other with a devilish smile, they were all thinking the same thing: "BOYS!" They yelled in unison laughing.

"Oh, boy." Hawkmon sighed. "Here we go again." He whispered to the other digimons around him. Gatomon and Palmon hushed the eagle digimon for silence they wanted to hear this. 'Girls.' He sighed.

"So Mimi are you and Michael an item?" Hikari asked.

Mimi blushed at the comment. She didn't think that her feelings were so obvious. "No. We've gone out a couple of times, but I think he has a problem with the power structure of the digidestined back in New York." She sighed.

"Let me get this straight, you're tell us that Michael can't take the fact that you're the leader of the team back in New York?" Hikari asked chuckling to herself with disbelief. "You think men in the twenty-first century would have a more enlighten attitude." She sighed.

"It's not entirely Michael's fault." Mimi defended. "I'm not sure how I feel about him either." She pointed out.

"What are you kidding?" Miyako gasped. "He's so incredibly cute."

"Even so." Mimi sighed. "I feel like we're forced to be with each other."

"I don't understand?" Palmon asked.

Mimi gave a smile to her digimon. "I don't know how you feel, but boys our age that aren't digidestined are far too immature for my taste. I don't know it's hard to explained, but our experience in the Digital World makes it really hard for me to relate to them."

"I think I know what you mean." Hikari sighed. "What I worry about and what an average girl my age worries about are totally different." She sighed. "While my greatest worry is the safety of worlds girls my age worries about more superficial things." She exasperated.

"Yeah, but I don't understand. Why do you feel that you and Michael are being forced together?" Miyako sighed.

"I call it the last man in the universe syndrome." Mimi explained. She saw confusion in her friends' eyes and their digimons as well and decided that further explanation was needed. "You see Michael and I are the same age among all the digidestineds back in New York, we are also the oldest and the thought of being in a relationship with the younger digidestined is just unthinkable." Mimi sighed.

"Why?" Gatomon purred.

Mimi thought how carefully to word her next thought. "Although in the long run a year or two in our ages wouldn't make much of a difference, but at our age those years are universes apart." She sighed.

"So are you're saying that you're not sure about your feelings for Michael because you and he are the only people in New York that could be with each other?" Hikari pointed out.

"Yeah something like that." Mimi sighed. "I want to know that my feelings for Michael are genuine before proceeding into anything more serious. It's only fair to him." She pointed out. "I just don't want to be with him because he's available, he deserves more than that." She entered into a gaze.

"So Yolei what about you?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah, any prospects for the future?" Mimi asked coming out of her gaze.

"Oh you know me." Miyako sighed. "So many cute boys, so little time."

"I thought you liked Ken and Izzy." Hawkmon added.

Miyako quickly grabbed her digimon and closed his beak. "I told you not to tell anyone." She hushed at Hawkmon. The other laughed hysterically.

"What so funny?" Sora asked smiling.

"Well it seems Miss. Inoue here has been keeping a secret from us...about her love life." Hikari teased.

"Oh who?" Sora smiled.

"No one." Miyako quickly answered.

"Izzy and Ken." Mimi decided to tell truth on her behalf.

Sora put on a fraudulent chuckle to hide the fact that another love triangle was forming. It was hitting a little too close to home for her. "Yolei, whatever you decided be very careful to avoid love triangles of any kind. They have a funny way of blowing up in your face." She said soberly.

Miyako was speechless about what Sora said. She knew how things ended with her particular love triangle and didn't know how to respond without patronizing her feelings. "Thanks. I'll take that advice to heart, but I don't think they have any romantic feelings for me. To them, I'm part of the Three Musketeers."

"You mean the Three Stooges." Hikari teased.

"Regardless, I think they think of me as one of the guys." Miyako sighed. "I guess things didn't go to well with Matt and Tai this morning." She sheepishly asked.

"No." Sora smiled. "I didn't talk to them."

"Is there a chance of reconciliation?" Mimi asked.

"Not anytime soon." Sora sighed. "Unless the universe decides to destroy itself then maybe we have a chance." She mockingly added. No one laughed at her sarcasm. The silence was unbearable, especially for her. "So who's next?" She smiled breaking the silence.

"Kari?" Mimi and Miyako asked in unison.

All seven pairs of eyes darted at her. She felt the whole universe was looking at her. She could feel her checks turning rosy pink. "I think I might be falling for Davis." She quickly mumbled.

"Davis!" Everyone gasped at the news, choking on whatever they were nibbling or drinking.

"You guys sound surprised?" Hikari asked.

"Well...yeah." Miyako sighed. "We just thought you and T.K. would end up together." She passively pointed out.

"T.K. and I are just friends...best friends." Hikari chuckled to herself. "Why would you think that?" She asked.

"Well I may be biased, but when we were in the Digital World together you two look so cute together." Mimi pointed out.

"Yeah, you can't tell us you don't have any romantic feelings for T.K." Miyako pointed out.

Hikari blushed embarrassed like a big secret of hers has been revealed. "Once upon a time." She blushed. "But that's irrelevant now, he likes someone else." She sighed loosing herself in her thoughts. "Wait a minute." She gasped realizing something. "How many of you thought that T.K. and I would end up together?" She asked.

Hikari watched her friends and their digimon looking at each other and she slowly witnessed their verdict. Three human hands went up, followed by a pair of wings, one brown the other pink, then a tear shaped leaf, and finally a paw with a yellow glove with red strips on. "You too Gatomon?" She gasped feeling a little disappointed that her digimon didn't know how she felt about the men in her life. It was unanimous they all thought that she and Takeru would be together.

"Well it's the truth." She purred defensively.

"I'm open!" Takeru voice emanated from their mocked soccer field.

Hikari turned to watch Takeru manoeuvre the soccer ball pass Jou and Tentomon to score on Koushiro who was defending the goal. 'Not bad for a basketball player.' She thought. His uncovered flaxen hair danced wildly in the wind as she saw his muscles flexing and tensing while running towards his team mates for a short victory celebration.

'Maybe they're right.' She thought allowing her mind to wonder about the possibility that she and he could be together, ignoring all her senses that kept telling her that they couldn't be together because he was in like with another she. For once Hikari allowed her id to override her superego and contemplated of what may be. 'Perhaps in another universe, in another lifetime.' She thought.

Hikari wondered if there was some kind of karmic or cosmic umbilical cord connecting the two of them together, because he turned to her and smiled his boyish grin that could melt a stubborn girl's heart - even hers, when she allowed her heart to be unguarded. It was like he could sense her watching him or her eyes on him. Though they were rather distant she thought that he could see her blush.

"Thinking of T.K. are we?" Miyako teased.

"No." Hikari blushed. "I was doing no such thing." She protested. "So what are we going talk about next?" She asked quickly changing the subject.

* * * * * * * * * *

"All right. Let's continue with the game!" Daisuke sighed with indignation. He wanted to finish the game before going to lunch. His team was up by one when Takeru scored on the breakaway play before.

Since Taichi and Yamato and their digimons were elsewhere. It was a eight-on-eight soccer game, the new digidestined men and their digimons was on one team, the leading team, while the other teams consists of the first digidestined men with Michael, his digimon and Willis' twin digimons.

"Just a second!" Koushiro yelled. They were still in the huddle discussing strategy. "Okay break!" He said and they parted to their position.

"Finally." Daisuke sighed.

It was Michael's turn to play goalie he walked towards two book bags, which defined the goal posts. In his peripheral vision he saw Willis standing by the lake looking into it, very much like this morning when he was staring into the Hudson River.

His mind was on what he called his prodigal son and wondered why he wasn't enjoying himself. He was worried about him not as a friend, but as a brother and a fellow digidestined, even if he didn't consider himself apart of the team he was one of them. Suddenly, the soccer ball zoomed passed him.

"Hey Michael." Koushiro was concern for him. "Are you okay? Why weren't you watching the game?" He asked with compassion.

"I'm sorry." Michael apologized nonchalantly. "My mind is elsewhere." He sighed watching Willis; his movement hasn't changed since the game started hours ago.

"Why don't you go and speak to him." Koushiro suggested.

"Thanks, I think I will." Michael smiled. "If you'll excuse me." He sighed walking towards Willis.

"Hey where are you going?" Daisuke yelled from the opposing team. "We have a game to finish!" Michael ignored him.

* * * * * * * * * *

Willis was surprised by how easily the digital waters of the lake could fool his eyes. In his mind, he knew that the lake was a bunch of ones and zeros in a sequence to create an image of a lake, yet it was paradoxically much more, it was also real.

After all the human body is not unlike the digital one that he sees in his twin digimons. A human body is created of cells and amino acids, protons and electrons in the elementary sense, yet it could not explain how consciousness and the breath of life entered through their soulless bodies.

Digital or not, the lake had the same effect on Willis as the Hudson River had back in New York. He too wished that the digital waters could carry his problems away into the vast ocean so far off. Yet like the Hudson River, it couldn't carry away his nightmare, the same reoccurring dream that he has been dreaming for the last two days.

"A penny?" Michael's voice disturbed his thoughts.

"Oh, they're not worth that much." He sighed emotionlessly.

"Try me."

"You know Michael some days I regret that I am a digidestined." He sighed. "Some days, I think all this as a curse instead of a blessing." Willis exasperated.

"Me too." Michael sighed. Willis darted his blue eyes towards him in shock. "You looked surprised." He observed.

"I admit yes, I always thought of you as a gung-ho person especially when it concerns being a digidestined. You preach the benefits and joys of being a digidestined like it was the fifth gospel." Willis pointed out.

Michael chuckled to himself. "I have my off days. Mimi could attest to that. She heard my mad ramblings before." He smiled. "Some days it just gets to me. Saving this world and ours, the charge to protect and guard the Western Hemisphere of the Digital World from any approaching darkness. I have seen death and killed in the name of a holy and just cause. I can travel through dimensions as easily and casually as one crosses a door. Plus I have to balance the life of a typical adolescence with all the anguish and emotional stress of a love life in shambles and woes that only this age could bring. Add to that mess the pressures of school and examinations not to mention the great expectations of being an example, a leader, student, friend, son, and motivator to so many in your life." He replied loquaciously. "It just gets to me..." He sighed.

"I wouldn't have known." Willis sighed. "You hide it well."

"Well being a leader is acting a hundred percent sure when you only feel fifty-one percent right." He sighed. "But I think this is more then the typical bout of doubt or defiance of our destiny." Michael pointed out.

Willis smiled to himself. "How right you are." He sighed. "I have a burden so heavy and great that I don't know what to do." Willis replied enigmatically.

"You and your riddles." He sighed.

"I'm sorry it can't be helped." He sighed. "You know some days I feel like Hermes." Willis exasperated.

"The messenger of the gods?" Michael asked with confusion. "Does this have to deal with the message you have to give?" He asked.

"Yeah." He sighed. "It was said that the arrival of Hermes was a bad omen because he always brought bad news." Willis explained.

"And this message is bad?"

"It depends on how one looks at it." Willis sighed ambiguously.

"There's you and your ambiguity again."

"I'm sorry it can't be..."

"Helped." Michael sighed. "Yes, so I've been told." He exasperated. "What is exactly is this message?" He asked.

"A question that only one can answer." Willis sighed.

"Let me guess I'm not the one." Michael said.

"If you were the one I wouldn't be standing here right now contemplating the consequences of my actions or lack thereof." Willis smiled. "Thanks for your concern, but this is something I have to do alone." He smiled reassuring his friend with his hand on his shoulder.

At that, the sounds of a triangle resonated through the air signifying that lunch was ready. "I think that's lunch." Michael said.

"Yeah." Willis sighed. "You go on ahead." He sighed returning his attention to the lake.

"Hmm...I think I figure out something more enigmatic then you." Michael sighed.

"What?"

"How Digitamamon rings a triangle without any hands." He sighed.

Willis chuckled to himself. "Some things are best left to obscurity." He said trying to picture the digimon doing that particular deed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Daisuke headed towards the lake to get some water for his instant noodles, while Hikari fixed the picnic blanket that they were to sit on while Gatomon and Veemon went off into the woods to get some kindling for the fire.

He was disappointed that Gatomon and Veemon wanted to be with them on the date, simply because they didn't know what a date was, but he relented when Hikari said that it was okay. He could understand Hikari's reasons for letting them join them on their date; after all, they haven't seen each other for a whole year. He wasn't heartless, he wanted to be with them, but he preferred to be alone with her.

This was the second date in so many days that they were chaperoned in some shape or form. First it was with Takeru and Chastity, now Veemon and Gatomon. 'I better get back before our digimons returns.' He thought carefully navigating back with a pot full of water. Hikari was sitting on the blanket patiently waiting for his return.

"Do you need some help?" Hikari asked.

"No, I'm fine." Daisuke smiled placing his mother's favourite pot on the grass.

"Where are Veemon and Gatomon?" He asked nonchalantly, trying to hide his frustration about their digimon chaperones. Hikari noticed the disappointment in his voice.

"They should be back soon." She sighed watching Daisuke coming towards her. He put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into the hollow of his neck. "I'm sure they'll understand." Hikari sighed.

"Who?"

"Our digimons." Hikari sighed. "If you want us to be alone, I'm sure they'll understand if we explain it to them." She pointed out.

Daisuke blushed that she found out his inner feelings. "No, I want them to be here." He sighed. "It was just a shock to me that they would want to join us, when I was planning this date I didn't expect to baby-sit our digimons." He smiled.

"Well we're alone now." She hinted.

He gently lifted her chin so their eyes would meet. "Yeah, he we are, all alone." He smiled gazing into her brown eyes. He leaned down wanting to kiss her; this was their first kiss without any obligation, the one that was not expected. The second kiss, the rational one, the one after the storm.

They closed their eyes and shorten the gap between their lips. Hikari's heart was pumping expecting his lips on hers when they were interrupted. "Hey Davis whatcha doing?" Veemon asked.

Daisuke and Hikari gasped turning to see their digimons standing in front of them watching them with their big eyes. In their arms were branches of wood that the needed for the fire. "Nothing." They replied in unison, they're faces turning red.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Veemon pointed out. "Is this what you humans call a kiss?"

"Hey Veemon, why don't you help me get the fire started." Daisuke quickly interrupted his blue monster friend. He grabbed the twigs from Gatomon and dragged Veemon off towards the pot.

"Hey what did I say?" Veemon protested being dragged off, his voice trailing from where Gatomon and Hikari sat.

Hikari giggled at the sight. She glanced into Gatomon's blue eyes and saw concern in them. "What's wrong?" Hikari opened her arms allowing the cat digimon to jump in.

"I wanted to apologized for disappointing you earlier." She sighed.

"What do you have to apologized for?" Hikari asked with confusion.

"For thinking you and T.K. would end up together."

"Oh that." Hikari smiled. "Don't be silly." She sighed, tickling Gatomon behind her right ear. "I guess I can't fault you or my friends to think that." She sighed. "After all T.K. and I are really close friends and I guess it's natural to assume that we end together." She sighed.

"Then I'm forgiven?"

Hikari chuckled to herself. "Silly cat, there's nothing to be forgiven for."

"Ah...I'm on fire!" Daisuke yelled running past them towards the lake.

"I'm sorry Davis. I didn't realize my Fire Rockets were that powerful." Flamedramon said running by them.

Hikari was concerned but couldn't help but laugh. "Hasn't he heard of stop, drop and roll?" Gatomon purred. Hikari chuckled to herself seeing him jump in the lake. "Are you really sure you like him?" She purred looking at her human companion.

"Yeah." Hikari sighed watching Daisuke coming out of the lake yelling at Flamedramon at the same time. "I do." She suppressed a chuckle.

"Well, if you're happy, then I'm happy for you." Gatomon purred.

She turned to look at her digimon for the first time since Daisuke ran by them on fire and smiled. "Thanks Gatomon."

* * * * * * * * * *

Takeru saw the whole thing unfolding. He was crestfallen when he found out Hikari and Daisuke would not join the rest of the digidestined at lunch at Digitamamon's Diner. He watched as Daisuke and Hikari walking hand in hand away from him and their digimons followed not too far behind them. The four of them headed to a small hill by the woods where they sat for their picnic date.

He watched as they parted ways, the digimons to the woods and Daisuke to the lake to fetch some water, leaving Hikari to set up the eating area. His heart was in agony when he saw them together alone without their digimon companions, with each beat his heart the anguish deepened.

"The pain will subside. That I'll promise you." Jou said taking the seat across from him.

"Pardon?" Takeru sighed, still watching them in his peripheral vision. He sighed, a whiff of relief when he saw their digimons interrupting them.

"Your heartache." He sighed taking a sip of his coffee. "It will diminish in time." He pointed out.

Takeru looked into his brown eyes, contemplating whether to deny the accusations. When his brother was not around, like now, he had always considered Jou his second surrogate brother.

On two separate occasions Jou had saved his life in the name of responsibility. The first time was in the digital world, in this very same diner five years ago and the second time was when he was willing to sacrifice his life for his in the cold waters of Odaiba harbour before he drowned.

He decided not to fight him. "It sounds like you speak from experience." Takeru sighed pushing his food around on his plate; he wasn't particularly hungry.

He quickly took a furtive look outside the window to see what Hikari and Daisuke were doing. He saw Daisuke dragging Veemon away and sat down placing wood on the ground next to a pot. 'Probably to start a fire.' He thought returning his glance to Jou.

Yamato, Taichi, Willis and their digimons didn't return for lunch. Digitamamon was outraged that eleven of the twenty-nine people didn't show up for their buffet style lunch. Koushiro reassured Digitamamon that he would still get paid for their meals. At that the egg digimon was happy, that is if Digitamamon could ever be happy.

"I had a broken heart once or twice." Jou sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to delve into your personal life." Takeru sighed.

"Take it from a veteran of multiple broken hearts. It will heal in time, this too shall come and pass." Jou smiled.

"Yeah." He sighed returning his gaze back to the outside world. He saw Daisuke threw two sticks on the ground with frustration. 'Too bad he wasn't a Boy Scout.' Takeru sighed. He blinked his eyes in disbelief when he saw Veemon armour digivolve into Flamedramon. 'Oh no.' He sighed knowing what would happen next. The next thing he saw was Daisuke running towards the lake on fire. "Um...Joe I think you should check up on Davis." He said.

"Why?" Jou asked taking a sip of coffee.

"He's on fire." He said nonchalantly.

"What?" Jou gasped spitting his coffee. He looked out the window and saw flames sprouting from his jacket heading to the water.

"I just all those decorated flames on his jacket finally decided to combust." Takeru jested. He turned to see how funny Jou thought it was only to see him gone. He looked out the window again and saw a frantic Jou running towards them. Takeru chuckled to himself. "Same old Joe." He sighed.

"What's so funny?" Iori asked taking the seat across from him.

"Oh Davis was on fire and Joe's out there trying to see if he's okay." Takeru sighed. He saw confusion in his friend's green eyes. "Never mind." He sighed. "You have to be there." He sighed.

"I'll take your word for it." Iori sighed putting his fork in his mouth. He watched Takeru push his lunch around with his fork. He sighed and decided to confront him about Takeru's situation. "So when are you going to tell her your feelings?" Iori asked nonchalantly.

Takeru gasped and looked at the ten-year-old boy with shock. "I...I don't know what you're talking about." He stuttered.

"You can't fool me T.K." Iori sighed. "I'm your D.N.A. Digivolving Partner." He pointed out.

Takeru exasperated. "No I guess I can't." He smiled. If Takeru considered Jou Kido as his surrogate older brother, then Iori Hida would be his surrogate younger brother. Takeru always thought Iori as a rather paradoxical person; being the youngest member of the digidestined he was probable the most mature - even for a digidestined.

Being Iori's D.N.A. Digivolving Partner their hearts and mind were momentarily convalesced into one when Angemon and Ankylomon first merged into Shakkoumon. For one brief second Takeru and Iori were one, indistinguishable from each other, where Takeru didn't know where he ended or where Iori began.

Ever since then, Takeru would, on occasion, have an empathic feeling, an insight into Iori's mind; perhaps this was one of those times where Iori could feel what he was feeling or thinking. He exasperated deciding to tell him the truth. "To answer your question, no I'm not going to tell her." Takeru sighed.

"I thought so." Iori sighed. For the second time during their conversation he saw Takeru's shocked eyes looking back at him. "It's this sense of nobility of yours." He started to explain. "When Angemon and Ankylomon first D.N.A. digivolved for one brief moment I knew everything about you including some promise you made to Sora five years ago." Takeru gasped a third time. "Don't worry, I don't know what it is, as you know after that moment everything seem to quickly fade away, but I have this feeling that it was somehow connecting to that promise." He sighed. "Am I right?"

"In part." Takeru sighed. "Look Cody, I'll appreciated if you..."

"Don't worry I won't tell." Iori sighed.

"Don't tell what?" Patamon asked flying to sit next to Takeru with his lunch.

"I'll tell you later Patamon." Takeru sighed.

* * * * * * * * * *

After lunch the digidestineds decided to spend some quality time with their digimons on a one to one basis. In so doing that they scattered into the Digital World like mice running away from a burning barn.

"Hey T.K. what are we doing?" Patamon asked.

"It's called fishing." Takeru answered nonchalantly. "We did this before five years ago on the back of Whamon, before we defeated Metal Seadramon." He pointed out.

"Yeah I know." Patamon sighed.

Takeru smiled at his friend. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that I don't like fish." Patamon sighed.

"I know and I'm sorry." Takeru sighed. "It's just that all of a sudden I feel like fishing, I haven't done so for a long time." He sighed reminiscing. "Dad, Matt, and I use to go every summer before my parents divorced eight years ago." Takeru sighed. "I guess I just wanted to recapture that innocence." He sighed entering a gaze...

* * * * * * * * * *

Nine Years Ago...

It was a hazy summer's evening, the sun was setting and the cold night was approaching. Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Kamiya aged four, sat at the edge of the pier dangling their tiny legs about a foot above the water's surface with their fishing poles dangling a few feet into the water. They sat together in silence enjoying the awesome view that nature had provided them.

"Hey T.K.?" Hikari broke the silence.

Takeru turned to look at his friend, she was nervous asking him something. "What is it Kari?" He smiled.

Hikari was looking at her fishing pole trying so hard not to look at him. "Were you mad with me I came fishing with you guys?" She asked, above a whisper.

"Honestly?" He asked returning his gaze into the waters.

"Yeah." Hikari asked.

He could sense a crack in her voice. She felt really bad and wanting to cry and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but she wanted the truth. "Honestly, yeah I was a little upset."

The traditional Ishida fishing trip was solely a male bonding experience. It was usually just the Ishida boys and their father taking a weeklong trip to their super secret sacred lake and to do absolutely nothing but fish. Then again this trip was anything but tradition. It was the first time his father invited Taichi and his father to come along.

Hikari wasn't invited, but was determined to go, so much so that she lurked into Takeru's father's van with her trusty pink fishing pole and hid juxtaposed against the other equipment and baggage they put in the back.

They were about two hours on the road when Hikari sneezed and she was discovered. Everyone in the van was mad at her for coming along without informing anyone. They stopped at the next local gas station where Taichi's father called home to tell his wife that she's with him and to get more supplies to cover Hikari's share. His father welcomed Hikari aboard while her brother and the Ishida boys gave her the silent treatment for the rest of the trip.

"Oh." Hikari sighed allow a few tears to flow to her cheek.

Takeru noticed. "Oh Kari don't cry." He said putting his fishing pole down. Putting his arm around her allowing her to dry her tears on his shoulder. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear. "But now I'm really glad you came." He said comforting her.

"Really?" She looked up at him with tears in eyes.

"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Matt and Tai are always playing with each other and wouldn't let me play with them."

"Yeah they do that to me too."

"Usually I could play with dad, but your dad and my dad are always talking and don't want me around. All my dad talk about is a divorce." Takeru sighed.

"What's a divorce?"

"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "But it sounds bad."

"I hope not."

"Well I tell you when I find out." Takeru sighed. "Dad said he's waiting one more year before getting one." He sighed.

"Okay." She smiled. "So why are you glad that I came?" Hikari asked.

Takeru took a deep sigh and let it all out. "Kari, you're my best friend and if you hadn't sneaked yourself into my father's van I would be so incredibly lonesome and this would have been the worse fishing trip ever." He reassured.

"I'm your best friend?"

Takeru blushed slightly feeling a little embarrassed for having a girl as his best friend, especially at an age where girls had cooties and boys were gross. "Yeah." He smiled. "Aren't I your best friend?" He sheepishly asked biting his lower lip.

Hikari freed his lower lip with her thumb. "Mama told me not to bite my lip, she says it's a bad habit." She smiled, looking into his blue eyes still waiting for an answer. "Yes, T.K. you're my best friend." She smiled returning her head to his shoulder.

Takeru grabbed his fishing pole and dangled it near hers. They enjoyed the sound of nature encompassing them, their legs swayed and dangled in the air. "Kari?" Takeru asked, this time it was he breaking the silence. "Why did you want to come fishing so much?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"I'll miss you." Hikari sheepishly answered.

"What?" Takeru sounded surprised.

Hikari blushed at her statement. "I miss you, ever since we met we haven't been apart for more than a day and when I heard that you were leaving, I just wanted to cry..." She sighed.

"I never knew you felt that way." Takeru sighed.

"Well now you do."

"In any case, I'm glad that I could share this part of my life with you."

"You do?" Hikari smiled looking into Takeru's eyes. He nodded in affirmation and smiled. She put her head back on his shoulder and gave a pleasant sigh. "T.K. let's make a promise that we'll always stay best friends and that we'll always tell each other everything, no matter what happens." Hikari asked.

"Why are you asking?" Takeru asked.

"Don't you want to be best friends forever?" Hikari said with disappointment.

"Oh, is that all? Sure I promise to be your best friend forever."

"Really?" She grinned excitedly. "And tell each other everything, no matter what happens?" She added ecstatically.

"Scouts honour." He signalled.

"Oh T.K. I'm so happy." Hikari gave him a great hug.

Takeru resisted the hug at first feeling a little choked about the hug, he never realized how strong she was until this moment, but regardless he relented and returned her hug. He closed his eyes and smelled her lavender and lilac scent hair. Strangely, holding Hikari wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be in all honestly, he quite enjoyed it.

Suddenly Hikari's line suddenly snapped with a vengeance. "Kari! I think you caught something!" Takeru exclaimed.

"What?" Hikari gasped grabbing her pink fishing pole. "Uh...help me T.K. this one is strong." She gasped.

"All right." Takeru said putting his hands over hers and together they started to pull the fish together. He pulled the rod and her body closer to his, but the fish was relentless in his fight. "I think we'll need some more help." Takeru sighed.

"Dad!" They yelled in unison.

The two fathers rushed out of their tents in fright, they thought the worse, like they were attack by a vicious animal or something. "What is it son?" The Ishida senior asked.

"Hikari you're all right?" Her father asked.

"Yeah...we caught a fish." Takeru sighed straining to pull it in.

"A big one." Hikari added.

"Here let go sweetie." Hikari's father suggested.

"No, it's my fish!" Hikari pouted. "I want to reel it in!"

"Okay." Her father sighed, getting behind Takeru and helped the kids to reel it in, while Takeru's father directed when to reel and when to release the slack. Five minutes later the two children pulled out a twelve pound, three ounce trout. The biggest fish they caught all week.

* * * * * * * * * *

Patamon knew that something was bothering his best friend. For the last five minutes he has been watching him staring out into the lake not saying a word to him. "T.K.? What's wrong?" Patamon asked with deep concern.

Takeru came out of his gaze looking at his digimon. "Nothing." He smiled. "What makes you think that something's wrong?" He asked.

"You're not happy." The orange piglet with wings for ears pointed out.

"What do you mean, of course I'm happy. I'm having the time of my life." He reassured his digimon friend.

"T.K. you can't fool me." Patamon said flying towards his head resting on his white cap. "You may smile, laugh, play and have fun, but I know you T.K. and in your eyes you're sad...very sad." He replied.

Takeru put his fishing rod on the ground and picked the orange digimon off his head and placed him on his lap. "Can't fool you can I?" Takeru smiled.

"What's wrong?" Patamon reiterated his question.

Takeru exasperated thinking how he should proceed. He looked into the blue pools of Patamon's eyes and took a deep breath. "There's this girl I like." He sighed.

"Kari."

"What makes you say that?" Takeru gasped.

"It's not a surprise. I see the way you look at her." Patamon sighed flying back to rest on his head. "Besides you talk in your sleep." Takeru thought he heard Patamon smile.

"I do?" Takeru asked picking up his fishing pole blushing.

"Yeah, you talk about Kari every other night." He sighed. "So are you going to tell her your feelings?" The digimon asked.

"No." Takeru said, above a whisper.

"Why not?" Patamon gasped.

"She doesn't love me." He replied.

"Did she tell you that?"

"No." He sighed. "I just know."

"How?"

"I know Patamon." Takeru sighed enforcing the first two words for his benefit. "As sure as the sun set in the west and rises in the east." He sighed.

Patamon knew better then to continue, but he did so regardless. "Sounds like you've given up hope to me." The orange digimon sighed. "That's very unlike you." He added.

That comment was his Achilles heal, every time someone confronts him about losing hope it hits him personally. "In all honesty, she wants to be with Davis then me." He sighed.

"So what? So she likes Davis." Patamon sighed. "There's still nothing wrong in telling her?" Patamon asked. "If she has the same feelings for you then everything's great, but if she doesn't at least you know." Patamon pointed out. "It's got to be better then just brooding around." He pointed out.

"Since when did you become such a smart digimon?" Takeru asked smiling.

"I learned everything from you." He replied.

Takeru couldn't help, but to feel flattered by the comment, although he personally didn't believe it. He carefully thought what Patamon, his parents, his brother, Jou, Iori, and even Taichi said over the past four days.

"You're not going to tell her are you?" Patamon asked.

"No, at least not now."

"Then when?"

"When the time is right." Takeru sighed.

"Hey T.K." Hikari's voice emanated from behind him. They turned to see her walking towards them with Gatomon beside her.

"There's no time like the present." Patamon whispered flying towards the approaching two. "Hey Gatomon I'm planning a hide and go seek game, want to play?" The flying digimon asked.

"Sure." Gatomon purred leaving the Hikari alone.

"Thanks Patamon." Takeru whispered, knowing that he planned the impromptu hide and go seek for his benefit, so that they could be alone.

He watched as Hikari walked towards him with a smile. She seemed to glide and flowed towards him like she was walking on air. She took his breath away. "Fishing?" She asked sitting beside him. "How very Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn of you." She commented on the mock fishing rod he held in his hands.

"Oh." Takeru smiled at his primitive fishing rod. "I didn't plan to go fishing, it's just that being in the Digital World has made me awfully nostalgic." He pointed out. "Hence the poor imitation of a fishing pole." Takeru smiled.

"I know what you mean." Hikari sighed. "Everything I see reminds me of the first time I saw them all those years ago." She sighed. "You looked so cute and adorable when you were eight." She teased.

"Yeah well I quickly grew out of that didn't I?" Takeru sighed.

"I think you give yourself too little credit." Hikari pointed out. "Practically half the girls at school would give their right arm to go out with you." She pointed out. "You changed so much over the years and for the better." Hikari sighed. "For example I'm no longer two inches taller to you." She teased.

Takeru chuckled to himself and sighed. "Hey, it's scientifically proven that girls mature more quickly then boys." He pointed out defensively.

"Point taken." Hikari sighed. "At least you're no longer a cry baby." She continued in her relentless teasing.

"Well technically I still am." He sighed. "Except that I do all my crying on the inside." He confessed.

"I didn't know that." She gasped.

"Well I'm glad that in our ten year relationship I could still surprise you." Takeru pointed out. "Kari, with all due respect, what are you doing here? No offence, but it's not that I don't enjoy this character assassination or this tantalizing, witty banter with you, but if you don't tell me soon my ego won't survive." Takeru asked.

Hikari chuckled to herself and sighed. "I just wanted to talk." Hikari sighed. "It's been a long time since we talked." She confessed.

Takeru chuckled to himself. "We talked yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that." He pointed out.

"Not that." Hikari sighed. "I mean a heart to heart. It's been a long time since we had one of those and quite frankly I miss you Takeru Takaishi." She sighed putting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it has been a long time." He sighed. "I miss you too, we all have been busy with our lives haven't we?" Takeru asked rhetorically.

"Too busy." Hikari sighed. "So how was your date with Chastity?"

"Good." Takeru replied nonchalantly. "I enjoyed myself, thanks for setting me up." He smiled.

"No problem. You know me I'm a regular cupid." She sighed. "What did you and Chastity do after you walk?"

"We went to an ice-cream parlour for dessert. It seems that Chastity hates white chocolate as much as I." He teased.

"Oh a women after you heart." Hikari bantered back.

"Very funny." Takeru chuckled dryly.

"What did you do there?"

"We shared a milkshake and a sundae." He sighed. "Then I walked her home."

"Did you kiss her good night?" She probed.

"Kari, a gentlemen never kiss and tell." Takeru replied. She got up from his shoulders and stared into his blue eyes wanting the gossip. "Once on the check, rather innocent." He sighed.

"Always the gentleman." Hikari smiled putting her head back on his shoulder. "It's such a rarity to find one in this day and age." She sighed.

"A complement from Hikari Kamiya I shall remember the date and time." Takeru teased. "So how was your date with Davis?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Which one today's or yesterday's?" Hikari asked.

Takeru chuckled to himself. "Not today's I got a pretty good idea what happened." He smiled. Hikari was confused why Takeru found humour in her third date and questioned him. "I saw himself catching on fire and then running to the lake. I was the one who sent Joe to see if he was okay."

"Oh, that." Hikari started to giggle. "He's all right, his ego is a little scorch, no pun intended, but he's all right." Hikari sighed. "Of course now he's freaking that his mother's best pot was burned beyond recognition and he'll be ground forever and a day, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Hikari smiled.

"You must be starving."

"Famished."

Takeru leaned into his backpack and took out a chocolate bar. "Here." He said giving it to Hikari. "I know it's not white chocolate or the most healthiest lunches in the world, but you should have something in your stomach."

"Thanks." Hikari said biting into the chocolate bar. "Want some?" She offered Takeru.

"No, thank you." Takeru sighed. "So how was your date last night after Chastity and I left?" Takeru reiterated his question, this time with more clarification.

"Nothing much, we popped in a video had a slice of the chocolate cake with white chocolate frosting that you brought." Hikari said with her mouth full. "It seems that Davis loathes white chocolate as much as you." She pointed out.

"Wow, I never expected that Davis would have such good taste." Takeru teased.

Hikari got off his shoulder and looked at him. "Oh you're incorrigible." She playfully hit her best friend.

"What?" Takeru raised his hands to deflect her barrage of playful hitting. "It's the truth, quite frankly I don't know how you like the stuff." He sighed.

"Chocolate is chocolate, why can't any men in my life understand that." She sighed looking into his eyes full of concern. She wanted tell him something of a serious nature.

"What is it Kari?" He said reading her eyes.

"I really appreciated if you and Davis would make an honest attempt in being friends." Hikari asked seriously.

"Wow, you must really like him to ask me that." Takeru gasped in awe, trying really hard not to show any ill feelings, while inside he was crying a storm.

"Yeah, I think the next time he ask me to be his girlfriend I might say yes." Hikari smiled.

He reached for her cheek and touched it. "For you, I'll make an honest attempt." Takeru smiled looking into her eyes.

"Thanks." She smiled returning her head to his shoulder. "You're such a good friend." Hikari sighed.

"Yeah, no problem, what are friends for?" Takeru sighed trying to hide the pain in his voice. "So did you kiss him?" Takeru hesitantly asked.

"Promise you won't tell Tai?"

"So you DID kiss him."

"Yeah, it set my soul ablaze." Hikari sighed.

"That good?"

"Oh, it was orgasmic."

"Too much information!" Takeru whined. "It's going to take me days to get that image out of my mind." Takeru teased.

Hikari chuckled at the comment and sighed changing the mood. "T.K. remember yesterday when we had that talk about keeping things from each other for the sake of our relationship?"

"Yeah." Takeru sighed feeling a little guilty for breaking the promise he made nine years ago. "As I recall we were both keeping something from each other."

"Yeah, well I'm ready to tell you mine." Hikari sighed getting off his shoulder. "I think it's time."

"All right." Takeru sighed. "What is it?"

"The reason I didn't want to talk to you two nights ago and the reason I broke my promise is simple and I'll ask you not to interrupt me until I'm done, because if you do I might lose my nerve." Hikari sighed.

"Okay." Takeru agreed.

"That night after our first date Davis and I was about to kiss when I saw you standing there next to me getting ready to give my first grown up kiss." Hikari mumbled quickly. She saw Takeru opening his mouth, but interrupted him. "I'm not done yet. I'll tell you when I'm done." She said putting her finger on his lip. "Freaking out was my first reaction so I rushed into the house and when I did you were on the phone and quite frankly I didn't want to talk to you."

Hikari sighed taking a deep breath. "This was the first time I picture you in a romantic context, at least with a visual hallucination. I knew that you liked Chastity and that she liked another boy, but I had to be sure that I didn't like you if I were to continue to have a relationship with Davis. So I did a lot of soul searching, and talked with Tai and Sora and in short they told me to follow my heart."

She took another sigh to recollect her thoughts and she was grateful that Takeru waited for her. "After talking with Sora I literally bumped into Chastity and invited her to dinner as a blind date for you. I did for two reasons really, firstly to see how you two got along and secondly, how I felt with you being on a date with her. Suffice to say, seeing you two together, looking so happy, made up my mind. You and Chastity were happy with each other, you two are perfect for each other and so I decided to let you and Chastity have that happiness and decided to concentrate all my energies on Davis." She probed Takeru's eyes to see what she could find. "I'm finished." She said above a whisper. "What do you think? Did I totally ruin our relationship forever?"

"No." Takeru gasped. "I'm just shocked, flattered, but shocked."

Hikari gave a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad, the last thing that I wanted is for our relationship to be ruined. Plus never to have to go through choosing who I loved more." She sighed.

Takeru was hurt by the last addendum to her statement. What very little encouragement he had left to tell her his feelings were drained. He could never tell her now; he cared too much for her to do so.

"So could you tell me your secret? The one you're hiding from me?"

"No." Takeru sighed. "The moment is definitely not right." He sarcastically chuckled to himself.

"Is it that damning?"

"Earth-shattering, if I tell you now." Takeru sighed.

"All right, I'll trust your judgement." Hikari smiled reassuring him of that fact. She returned her head on his shoulder and started to chuckle thinking about something earlier.

"What's so funny?"

"It's nothing." Hikari sighed. "I was thinking how the girls reacted today when I told them that I was seeing Davis." She sighed chuckling to herself.

"How did the react?"

"Surprised." She chuckled to herself. "Everyone including Gatomon thought that..."

"We would end up together." Takeru finished her statement.

"Yeah." Hikari sighed.

"I guess it's a reasonable assumption, after all we have been friends close to a decade." Takeru sighed trying to hide his feelings from his voice.

"I guess." She sighed. "T.K. have you ever thought of me in a romantic context?" Hikari nonchalantly asked getting up from his shoulder looking into his royal blue eyes.

"Have you about me?" He returned.

"I told you about the kiss didn't I?"

Takeru chuckled to himself. "You made it sound like a momentarily lapse from sanity." Takeru pointed out. "Have you ever thought about me in a romantic context for longer than a moment?" He reiterated.

Hikari looked into his eyes wanting an escape. Her prayers were answered. "I think you caught something." Hikari pointed to his fishing rod.

"Thanks." Takeru said pulling on his pole. It was lighter; significantly lighter then the one they caught nine years ago. The fish was a tiny, small minnow probably weighing less then an ounce.

Takeru chuckled to himself. "I guess that I'd leave the fishing to you." He sighed looking into her confused eyes. "Nine years ago, you caught a ten pound trout?" He clarified.

"Oh yeah." Hikari smiled. "Wow, I totally forgot about that."

"Well it's understandable." Takeru sighed. "It was a long time ago." He said unhooking the minnow and gently let it go back into the pond. "There you go little fellow." He sighed putting his rod on the soft green grass.

"You're not fishing anymore?"

"No." Takeru sighed. "I think our talking is scaring the fish, besides I think all this nostalgia is starting to get to me." He sighed.

Hikari looked into his eyes and smiled. "Are you okay? Your eyes are so sad." She said touching his cheeks with the tips of her fingers.

"I'll be fine." He said unconvincingly. "I get this way sometimes when I think about the past." He sighed looking at her. "You never answered my question."

"Nor you mine." Hikari smiled.

Takeru wanted to tell her his feelings, but the fact that she told him that she didn't want to go through another love triangle again made him pause. 'I can't tell her.' He thought raising his eyes towards the horizon. "Perhaps we'll answer that another time." Takeru sighed. "I think Davis is looking for you." He replied.

Hikari turned to see him. "Yeah." She sighed. "I told him that I needed to talk to you for about five minutes, I guess I took longer then I thought and he decided to fetch me." Hikari sighed. "I've better be going, tell Gatomon that I'll be walking in the woods with Davis when she asks."

"I will." Takeru sighed watching his love walk away. He saw them embrace in a hug and then hand in hand they walked towards the sunset. He had not imagine how painful this moment would be, he thought that he prepared his heart to take the inevitable, but the pain was too much for him to bear nor did he imagine such pain ever existed.

He stood up and skipped a stone into the lake. 'All this for a promise.' He thought. A promise he made five years ago to Sora and more recently with Hikari's father. He looked at the direction where he last saw the couple - they were gone. 'At least she's happy.' He thought returning his attention back to the lake leaning against the willow that he was sitting under thinking about a new way to cope with this situation.

"It makes you think doesn't it?" Takeru was startled by the voice. He turned to see Willis standing beside him looking into the lake. "The water is so soothing, calming and reflective." He sighed getting to one knee touching the water's surface with his fingertips.

"Yet it could somehow make us feel so...small, tiny, and insignificant." Willis sighed looking at his reflection. "The waves and ripples of water, virtually identical to the one before and the one after, indistinguishable. According to Genesis, God hovered across the waters of the Earth before creating light - waves since the beginning of creation and waves will long continue after our deaths. It shows us how truly mortal we are."

Through the reflection of the water Willis saw the images of his nightmare, of the destruction of the Digital World, the same premonition over and over again. He looked at Takeru, his icy eyes piercing into his deep soul. "You've been having bad dreams for the last two nights haven't you?" He asked already knowing the answer. "A dream based on a memory five years ago." He added standing up.

"How...how did you know?" He stuttered; Takeru had only told his mother of his dream, but never in detail.

"Because I've been having the same reoccurring nightmares for the last two nights, though not identical to yours, but I think they're connected somehow." Willis replied emotionlessly.

"What was yours about?" Takeru asked.

Willis thought about telling Takeru about his dreams of destruction, but something inside told him that he shouldn't. "My dreams are not meant for you to know." He sighed thinking how he should continue. "I have a message for you T.K." Willis replied nonchalantly getting down to his business.

"What is it?"

"It's a question." Willis replied. "A question that shouldn't be answered lightly or fleetingly." He warned sternly.

"Okay." Takeru sighed.

"Before I ask you my question, I need to know a few things first." Willis sighed. "What is the nature of your promise to Sora five years ago and the promise to the late Mr. Kamiya you made three mounts ago?" He asked.

Takeru looked at Willis and wondered how he knew things that only a handful of people knew. He looked into his icy blue eyes and was compelled to answer. "I made a promise a long time ago that I'll always protect Kari and I plan to do so until I become redundant in her life." Takeru replied suspiciously.

"I thought so." Willis replied with ominous confidence. "Tell me something T.K. how serious are you about keeping this promise of yours?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you willing to protect Kari at any cost? To sacrifice all you hold dear, go to Hell and back, and even die for her for the sake of your promise, especially when you feel redundant?" Willis explained.

"Where are you going with this?"

"Just answer the question."

"If need be, yes." Takeru answered still puzzled.

"Good." Willis smiled, he got up. "Because you might have to." He said starting to leave.

"Wait...what do you mean?"

"You have answered my question. My role is finish here." He said walking off.

"Not so fast." Takeru put his hand on his shoulder stopping him. "I answered your question now at least you can answer some of mine." Takeru replied; his voice a little louder then he would have liked. "What do you mean by I might have to go through all that to protect Kari? Is she in danger?" He gasped with fear.

Willis stopped and hesitantly turned to answer that question. "Let's just say that being the bearer of the digimantle of fate, of destiny could be a heavy burden." He replied enigmatically. "Then again, being the bearer of hope and the bearer of light is no picnic either." He exasperated.

The answer was ambiguous at best; undecipherable at worse, but then it hit him like lighting in a summer storm. It was the mentioning of their digimantles that did it for him. "Wait a minute are you saying that you could see the future?" Takeru gasped.

"Not exactly." Willis answered. "I could see glimpses of possible futures. Trust me when I tell you that you would have to go through those trials to protect Kari. I'm positive about it, just like I'm certain that you and Kari are destined to be together." He pointed out.

"I'm flattered you think so, but that's impossible, she's with Davis now."

Willis chuckled to himself; he couldn't blame Takeru for not thinking fourth dimensionally. "I didn't mean that you'd get married tomorrow." Willis teased. "You may not have romantic feelings for each other now. You may even be seeing other people, perhaps several other people. You may even get together and break-up a thousand times, or even move across the world, or even marry other people twenty-five years from now, but trust me - you and Kari are destined to be with each other."

"You would excuse me if I don't believe you." Takeru sighed returning his gaze to the lake. "I'm not the type of person that believes that my future is written in stone." He sighed. "No insult intended."

"None taken." Willis sighed. "For a long time I was very much like you. I didn't believe in my "gift" either." He sighed. "But slowly I learn to accept that no one can escape fate." He sighed. "You know most people think of time as linear, perhaps that's for the best, but as for me I think it's fluidic." He sighed.

"Fluidic?"

"Imagine time as a river, it starts at the snow-capped mountain peaks and flow downhill with a vengeance in it youth and slows down at middle age, meandering through the land with one common destination the ocean."

Willis headed towards the willow tree and gently tore a leaf. "Now imagine that you're a traveler on this river." He demonstrated putting the leaf gently in the water and watched it float towards the mouth of the lake. "Riding the waves, rapids, rivulets, and waterfalls of life."

In his peripheral vision he caught a smooth stone, he walked towards it and picked it up, examining it. "And not unlike life, an outside force, be it luck, fate, God or coincidence would often throw obstacles in our lives." He replied skipping the stone. They watched it as it knick the leaf forcing it to move in another direction. "And thus change destiny for the traveler." He sighed.

"With each decision we make it can potentially put us on a different path so you're part right when you say our future isn't written in stone because we can't be sure which path we're on, but I'm also right because of the common destination, the ocean." Willis sighed. "Paradoxical isn't it? Predestination and chance being both correct and wrong." He sighed.

"So you're telling me Kari's my ocean."

"Now you're getting it." Willis smiled. "You could take the direct route or the scenic route to your destiny, but no matter what you can't escape your fate." He pointed out. Willis sighed, looking at Takeru and smiled. "Thank you T.K."

"For what?"

"It's not often for me to give good news, it's usually dire warnings and vague predictions." Willis sighed. "Sometimes having this gift feels so much like a burden." He sighed.

"Is that why you reverted back to your lone-wolf days?"

"Talking to Michael haven't we?"

"No, but it doesn't take a genius to know he's genuinely worried about you." Takeru sighed. "I deduced your isolation from your actions or rather inaction today. You were acting like a recluse, excluding yourself from playing soccer, skipping lunch and hardly talking to anyone. Even in a mist of a crowd you manage to separate yourself." Takeru pointed out.

"You don't understand T.K. my powers intensify when I'm around people; it's like picking up psychic impressions from those around me. The more people I'm around the more visions I see. Do you know how it feels to constantly see people's deaths, accidents and woes? Seeing the people I love and care about getting hurt?" Willis pointed out abruptly. "Trust me it's better that I stay away from people." He pouted.

"Perhaps this gift of yours could help people in a way you can't see."

"I thought about that." Willis sighed. "Once I saved a fellow digidestined from dying and by doing so ten innocent lives were lost. Fate it seems is not without a sense of humour." He sighed. "In the year I became the bearer of fate and received this gift I can tell you one thing: You can't cheat fate." He replied sheepishly. He took a deep breath and recollected his thoughts. "Trust me T.K. I'm destined to be alone just as you are destined to be with Kari." He sighed walking away.

"Willis there is a problem with your fluidic time theory." Takeru pointed out.

Willis turned around suddenly. "What?"

Takeru smiled knowing that would get his attention. "Before my parents got a divorce my father would take my brother and I fishing every summer for about a week. We would drive to what my father would call his super secret lake to fish. In my lifetime we only went four times, my brother being older went there seven times, but I could only remember the last time I went there being so young." Takeru sighed.

"I remember the first time I saw that lake, that is the first time I saw it and could form a coherent sentence. It was so huge and vast that I mistaken it for the ocean. My father chuckled and told me it was a lake. Yet to me it didn't make any difference because I couldn't see where it end." Takeru pointed out.

"Just because you can't see the end doesn't mean it's not there." Willis interrupted impatiently.

"My point exactly." Takeru smiled. "Perception is the key, perhaps this ocean of lonesomeness of yours is not an ocean at all, but a real big lake. So vast and so huge that you think it's an ocean and probably convinced yourself that it is so you dropped anchor and await your final destiny." He pointed out.

"So you're saying that in all this time I thought I reached my ocean, my destiny, but instead tricked myself into taking a very long scenic route." Willis pointed out. "A very interesting concept. I never thought of that."

"Look Willis I'm not saying that you haven't reach your ocean, I don't know that for sure perhaps you have." Takeru sighed. "But the idea of giving up to find out whether your ocean is not a lake is just ludicrous." Takeru sighed. "Willis just because we're given a certain destiny doesn't mean we can't fight it."

"Like you're fighting your destiny to be with Kari?"

"Touché." Takeru smiled.

Willis chuckled at his answer. "Thank T.K. for renewing my hope." He smiled extending his hand. "I guess...fate has made the right choice giving you the digimantle of hope." He smiled.

Takeru chuckled to himself shaking his hand. "Sure take all the credit for it." He replied sarcastically. "So how about a game of hide and go seek? I think Patamon is planning one."

"Sounds like fun, albeit juvenile." Willis smiled.

"Humour him, it's his favourite game." Takeru smiled.

* * * * * * * * * *

Koushiro Izumi's room was quiet except with the ticking of the clock in his room. The last lazy rays of the sun was slowly creeping away from the room, engulfing objects in the room in the fiery orange and red glow. It was silent, except for the passage of time. The clock chimed six o'clock, the sound of time moving inexorably onward. The night had already begun and would move all too swiftly to its inevitable conclusion.

Then in a blink of an eye chaos happened, not unlike many catastrophes before. A bright white light emanated from the quiet computer screen where twelve bodies were haphazardly thrown into the real world. Bodies were heaped on top of others in a violent, echoing crash.

"Why is it so easy to get into the Digital World, but coming out of it is a different story?" Taichi asked.

"I don't know." Koushiro answered. "Perhaps I could work up a program that would transfer us safely back." He groaned in pain.

Suddenly the quiet room was filled with screams and clamour of people trying to get out simultaneously. Order was generally restored while everyone quickly said his or her good byes to Koushiro and his parents who just returned from their weekend trip. They went downstairs where everyone said their good byes to each other.

"Hey Kari!" Daisuke ran towards her. "Do you need an escort home?" He enthusiastically asked.

"Actually, Davis if you don't mind I have to talk to Kari alone." Taichi interrupted.

"Sure, no problem." Daisuke smiled. "I'll call you tonight." He said running off towards his home waving.

"Okay, I'll be waiting." Hikari waved watching him run away.

"Ready lover girl?" Taichi teased.

"Let's go." Hikari exasperated leading the way home; Taichi quickly caught up to her then slowed his pace to match hers. "You know Tai, if you did this just to prevent Davis from kissing me, you know one day we will." She pointed out.

"I suspect that you already have."

"Why would you say that?"

"I know you." Taichi sighed. "And I know Davis, he and I are not all that different." He pointed out. "So how was the kiss?"

"No comment." She smiled. "Tai could I ask you something?" She asked quickly changing the subject.

"It's nothing sexual is it?" He tentatively asked feeling that it was one of those questions.

"No." Hikari reassured sternly.

"Oh, in that case, always." He smiled feeling relieved.

"Where you surprised when you found out that Davis and I were going out with each other?" Hikari asked.

"Not really." Taichi sighed. "Davis is rather persistent, I knew he'll get a date with you sooner or later." He sighed.

"Oh." Hikari sighed. "Would you be surprise if I told you that I was thinking that we should be exclusive." She frailly asked.

"A little." He sighed. "But why would you care how I feel?"

"It's not that." Hikari sighed. "I told the girls this morning that Davis and I were seeing each other and they were shocked to hear that." She sighed. "They thought that T.K. and I would end up together, even Gatomon and their digimons thought that. I was wondering if you felt the same way." Hikari sighed.

"I'll confess that I fall under that same prejudice." Taichi admitted. "Ever since you two were kids you were inseparable, where T.K. was you weren't too far behind. Then you have not one, but two adventures in the Digital World that bonded you more then any regular relationship." He pointed out. "Look Kari, I'm sure that if Davis came first in your life they'll probably act the same way if you announced that you were going out with T.K." He pointed out.

"Do you really think so?"

"Maybe." Taichi sighed. "I'm not too good with the hypothetical."

"I see."

"Listen Kari, it doesn't matter what the girls or what I think about who you should date, if you love Davis be with him. All that matters is how you feel towards the person you're with be it Davis or the man in the moon." Taichi pointed out.

"Yeah I guess you're right." Hikari smiled. "Thanks."

"Hey, no problem, what are brothers for?" He asked rhetorically. There was a moment of silence that changed the mood of the moment. "Hey Kari, the reason I wanted to walk you home was to apologize for our fight in the Digital World." He exasperated.

"You promised that you wouldn't fight."

"I said that I'll try not to get in a fight with Matt or Sora and I didn't." Taichi pointed out. "I had a fight with you."

"It's all semantics and you know it." Hikari pointed out.

"Regardless, I am sorry. I don't know why I even did it. Perhaps it's seeing Matt and Sora together that brought up all the bad memories and I unleashed it on you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you a traitor, of course you and Matt could be friend, I don't know why you would want to, but I can't tell you who your friends should be. I guess you could choose worse company though I can't image it for the likes of me." He sighed.

Hikari chuckled to herself. "That could be the worse apology from you in history." She smiled. "But regardless, you're forgiven." Hikari replied sighing in hopes to change the mood of the conversation. "Tai would you and Matt ever be friends again?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah." Taichi sounded genuine. "When Hell comes to Earth." With that addendum killing all the sincerity from the pervious statement.

She exasperated. "You're incorrigible."

"In all seriousness, perhaps it's not time. I mean we did try today."

Hikari stopped her brother and stared into his brown eyes. "Have you?"

Taichi looked at his sister and studied the seriousness of her eyes. "Let's go home." He whispered taking the lead.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was twilight in the city that never sleeps and true to reputation the sounds of taxis racing and cars honking still give testimony that the city was very much awake, it was four in the morning, but the city didn't care. So the bright light that emanated from the computer and the sound of tossing three adolescences to the floor just added to the ambient sound.

Mimi hushed the boys to stay quiet. "Willis I hope you don't mind, but I told Michael that he could bunk here with you in the extra bed, because it's so late." She whispered.

"I don't mind." Willis sighed.

"Good." Mimi smiled. "Good night and behave." She whispered back tiptoeing back into her room hoping not to wake her parents.

The boys chuckled to themselves and got ready for bed. "So I assume you delivered your message?" Michael asked getting into bed.

"Yeah." Willis smiled heading to the window and watched the Hudson River. "And surprisingly I got one myself."

"Then I'm assuming that in the morning you'll be leaving us again?"

"No. I think I'm going to stay and see where this river takes me." He sighed.

Michael was shocked to hear the news that he would be staying and joined Willis at the window. "What the Hudson River? It leads into the Atlantic Ocean." He answered the rather simple question.

"Does it?" Willis smiled to himself. "Perhaps the Atlantic Ocean is just another lake." He sighed.

"What?"

"Never mind." Willis sighed smiling at Michael. "Good night, Michael." He said going to his bed.

"A puzzle, wrapped in an riddle, locked in a enigma, buried under a conundrum with the key and map thrown away he is." Michael muttered under his breath shaking his head.

* * * * * * * * * *

Daisuke was glad that Yamato found his wallet because the pot Flamedramon ruined was very expensive, but since he had the money he was able to replace it by buying a new pot in hopes to escape his mother's wrath.

He was also feeling quite depressed, all three dates with Hikari didn't go as planned. Their first date didn't go as well as he planned losing his wallet, nor did the second when Takeru and Chastity joined them, and the third; well the third was a total disaster.

"I'm such a loser." He exasperated under his breath. Hikari was forgivingly and gracious enough to put up with him over the past three dates. 'But how much longer would she put up with me?' He thought to himself. He was so distraught that he couldn't ask Hikari out on another date or to be his girlfriend. 'I have to do something to show her how much I love her.' He thought with determination.

In the corner of his eye he caught something in the store window that he was passing by. 'Yeah, that's what I'll do.' He smiled going into the jewelry store. He surveyed the trinkets inside the glass cases.

"May I help you?" The salesperson asked.

"How much is that pendent?" He asked pointing to it.

The salesperson quoted the price, which he was ecstatic to find that it was within his price range. "Could I see that?" Daisuke asked. She took it out of the case and showed it to him. "Could I have something engraved on it?" He asked.

"We charged by the letter."

"Actually it's more of a design." Daisuke corrected.

"Then the price will depend on the complexity of the design."

"Okay." Daisuke sighed. "How much would something like this cost?" He said drawing two symbols on the reverse of the business card he grabbed. The salesperson quoted a price, which he found rather fair. "So is it possible to pick this up tomorrow morning?" He asked.

"Not a problem." She smiled. "Shall I ring this up?"

"Please." Daisuke smiled.

"Is this for your girlfriend?" She asked punching the series of numbers in.

"I hope so." Daisuke sighed. "I'm going to ask her tomorrow."

"Well I hope she says yes. You're such a nice man."

"From your lips..." Daisuke smiled pulling out his wallet.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nancy Takaishi waited impatiently for her son to return home. She knew that her son was going into the Digital World for a reunion which five years ago she would have been afraid to hear. Yet she wasn't worried about that, over the years she came to accept that part of her son's life and tried not to think about the carnage that may happen there.

Takeru promised to be back in their world by six and told her that he may sleep over at his brother's place. Her heart was racing; she had exciting and damning news to tell her son. She didn't know what to do at first she was sitting, but being so excited she couldn't so she'll started pacing, then she will get tired and sit and the whole vicious circle starts over again when she gets too excited for sitting.

She had left a message on the machine asking Takeru to come home as soon as possible. Shortly after half past six Takeru called home in a fright. Apparently, her message on the machine scared her youngest child. She reassured him that she was okay, but she wanted him to come home so she could talk to him. She further reassured that Takeru didn't do anything wrong and that he wasn't in trouble answering her son's second question. With a sigh of relief Takeru hung up the phone saying that he would come home as soon as possible.

That was twenty minutes ago and four phone calls ago. She exasperated and picked up the phone dialling a series of number. The phone rang three times before it was picked up.

"Hello?" Yamato answered.

"Hi Matt, it's your mother."

"Hi Mom." Yamato sighed. "Yes T.K. left fifteen minutes ago and no I don't know how much longer he'll be." He exasperated.

"Thanks Matt." She sighed hanging up the phone. Nancy couldn't blame her son for being so frustrated after all that was the fifth time she called. She hung up the cordless and continued pacing. Her heart jumped with excitement when she heard the jingling of keys.

She rushed to the door and opened it before Takeru could put his key in. "Are you sure you're okay mom?" He asked concerned by his mother's impatience.

"Yeah fine." Nancy quickly answered. "What took you so long?"

"Mom, relax it usually takes me twenty minutes to get home when I run." Takeru reassured catching his breath. "Are you sure you okay?" He reiterated his question heading towards the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

"Yeah." She sighed. "It's just that I have some good news and some bad news now. Which do you want to hear first?" She hesitantly asked.

"Good." Takeru sighed. "I'm too emotionally draught to handle anything bad." He sighed sitting on the chesterfield waiting for his mother to tell him what was so urgent that he was forced to come home.

"You know that article that I've been working on?"

"The toilet paper story?"

"Yeah." Nancy smiled. "Well my boss loved it so much that he gave me a promotion as head editor." She announced.

"That's great mom!" He smiled jumping off the chesterfield. "Congratulations." He said giving his mother a hug. "We have to do something to celebrate." His good demeanour suddenly was quashed by the look in his mother's eyes. "Mom, what's the bad news?" He sheepishly asked.

"The job is in New York."

His mother could literally see her son's heart sink. He took a couple of paces away from her and took a sigh. His silence pained her. "So what did you decide?" He finally asked sombrely.

"I told my boss to let me sleep on it." Nancy replied. "I wanted to run this by you first before giving my answer." She sighed. "Normally, this decision would be easy for me, but now that you're older I think you should be apart of this decision." She explained.

"And if I want to stay here?"

"Then I'll turn down the job." His mother replied.

That made the decision that much harder for him. 'Should I defy destiny?' He thought remembering what Willis said to him earlier that afternoon. He looked at his mother who was waiting patiently for his answer. "What do you want mom?"

"I want whatever makes you happy."

"But mom you always dreamed to be an editor. Are you willing to sacrifice that for how I feel?" Takeru asked, trying to find a way to escape this decision.

"In a heartbeat." She smiled. "Look Takeru, I know this is a difficult decision so take your time, don't rush into it. I'll ask you again in the morning." Nancy said getting up.

"Mom." Takeru said confidently. "Take the job."

"Are you sure?" Nancy asked. "What about your friends, your father, Matt, Kari?" She asked wanting validity from her son. She knew that he had done noble, selfless acts in the past that compromise how he felt, his heart.

"Yes I'm sure." He smiled. "I'll make new friends, I already have some in New York, plus dad and Matt would understand." Takeru sighed.

"And what about Kari?"

"I think it's the best."

"For her or for you?" Nancy asked. "Son, I don't want you to use my promotion as an excuse to run away from your feelings or your problems." She pointed out.

Takeru took a sigh thinking what his mother had told him. "Mom I assure you that Kari was not a factor when I made this decision. I made the decision because it was the right one to make. As for running away from my problems, I don't see it like that, besides mom if our love was meant to be, it'll find a way to work out, even through my stubbornness." He smiled reassuringly.

Nancy chuckled to herself. "Just like your father." She sighed. "All right I'll call my boss now." She said dialling the number. Half of him hoped that her boss changed his mind, but his rational side knew the opposite. Takeru heard his mother accepting the job with gusto and zeal. He knew he did the right thing, though sometimes the right thing invariably hurt. The conversation seem to drag and droll on for an eternity. He couldn't stand it any longer.

He headed toward the balcony in his room overlooking the vesper-lit city. He took a deep breath tattooing this scene into his memory; he wanted to remember this forever. He just realized the ramifications of doing the right thing and the fact he did the right thing gave him little comfort.

"Hey it's official, we're moving to New York." His mother sighed playfully hitting him on the shoulder with the cordless.

"When do we leave?"

"A week."

Takeru looked at his mother with shock, he expected more time. "That soon." He gasped. "I thought we have more time here." He sighed.

"I could arrange it with your father if you want to stay the summer."

"No might as well expect the inevitable."

"Please contain yourself. Your over-zealousness is embarrassing." His mother sarcastically teased.

"I'm sorry mom." Takeru sighed. "I'm happy, really, it's just that it's been an emotionally draining day." He sighed.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "But first I like to talk to..."

"Kari?" His mother completed his thought slapping the phone in his hand. "I'll give you some privacy." She smiled leaving the balcony.

Takeru thanked his mother and stared at the phone like it was a foreign object. He was hesitant to call her. 'Mom was right; I am running away from her - no longer. I have to tell her that I love her, no matter the consequence.' He sighed dialling her number.

"Davis?" Hikari answered.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"T.K. I'm sorry I thought you were Davis he promised to call."

"Evidently." Takeru sighed.

Hikari knew that inflection in his voice. "T.K. what's wrong?" She gasped and then started to ask a series of questions concerning his well-being.

"Kari, I'm fine. I just really need a best friend to talk to now."

"I'm listening." Hikari replied with concern.

"Actually it's something I have to say in person. I know its short notice but could we talk sometime tomorrow?" He asked. "I have a couple of things that's rather important to tell you." He exasperated.

"All right, how about tomorrow at noon our spot? I'll bring some lunch."

"Sounds perfect." Takeru smiled. "I'll see you then." He smiled hanging up the phone. He exasperated looking at the phone. "Now how in the world am I suppose to tell you that I love you and that I'm leaving you all in the same day?" He asked rhetorically.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Yamato's quote: "There is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." is anonymous. [3] When talking to Takeru Willis referred to a quote in the bible, that verse is Genesis 1:2. [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.